Sarnia Police Service officials allege: The Sarnia Police Service Community Crime Unit has laid charges after a string of retail thefts and an assault at a business on Quinn Drive.
Between Aug. 20 and Sept. 7, police say a man committed five thefts at businesses in the Quinn Drive and London Road area, stealing clothing and electronics worth a total of $1,010.
On Sept. 16 around 2:30 p.m., police responded to a report of an assault at a Quinn Drive business. A loss prevention officer had confronted a trespasser and ordered him to leave the property. The man refused and allegedly punched the officer twice before fleeing.
Later that afternoon, a member of the Emergency Response Team spotted the suspect walking along London Line. He was arrested for assault and failing to comply with a release order. Police say a search revealed he was carrying a prohibited knife with a blade that opens with centrifugal force.
Investigators say the suspect was under conditions not to attend the Quinn Drive property at the time of the incident. The following day, members of the Community Crime Unit and Intelligence Unit executed a search warrant at a London Line address, where they seized evidence linking the suspect to the earlier thefts.
The man, 43, of London Line, was charged with five counts of theft under $5,000, two counts of failing to comply with a release order, assault and unauthorized possession of a weapon. He was held for a bail hearing and remanded into custody.
Police say they have had 22 interactions with the accused since September 2024, including nine arrests and 10 charges.
