Monday, June 8, 2009

Domestic Related Arson Investigation:

At approximately 3:03 am this morning city police and Fire Services attended to a residence in the downtown area regarding a fire. This fire is being treated as an arson investigation and is domestic related. It is alleged that the male occupant and his female common-law partner got into a verbal argument that escalated with the male assaulting the female by throwing a shampoo bottle and an ashtray at her and then attempting to set the home on fire. The male suspect fled prior to Police and Fire Services arrival. The fire was quickly contained. Damage reported was to a bedroom door that had been kicked in as well as window curtains and a portion of a wall being burned. There were four persons inside the residence at the time with no injuries reported. The investigation is continuing. There are no other details to provide at this time.

Male Arrested with Six Fraud Related Offences:

36 year-old Paul Holley of Highway 17 North Batchewana Ontario was arrested on the 5th of June at 12:35 pm at the city police station and charged with three counts of fraud and three counts of possess-use credit card data.
It is alleged since May 2008, the accused applied for credit cards at various Financial Institutions using a false identity, a person that was known to him, and used the cards to purchase merchandise from various businesses. Wells Fargo Financial, MBNA ICICI Bank and American Express were all victims of the frauds. The total amount of the fraud was $15,523.89.00. The accused is to appear in court on the 6th of July.

Shoplifting Incidents:

1) 55 year-old Daniel McGrath of 45 Tamarack Street was charged on the 7th of June at 10:38 am at his residence with one count of theft under $5,000.00. It is alleged that on the 7th of June at approximately 9 am the accused attended at Zellers Garden Centre on Northern Avenue and loaded several bags of garden soil into the trunk of his car and left without paying for them. He was later located at home and charged. He is to appear in court on the 6th of July.

2) 19 year-old Patricia Pheasant of no fixed address was charged on the 6th of June just before 5 pm at the Station Mall with one count of theft under $5,000.00 and one count of fail to appear court. It is alleged that on the 6th of June at 4:50 pm the accused attended at the Raw Store in the Station Mall and stole some clothing. The accused was apprehended by store staff and when police were called in they discovered that she was wanted on an outstanding warrant for failing to appear court.

Charged for Spraying Bear Spray

24 year-old Eric Mearow of 46 Maple Street was arrested on the 5th of June at 11:28 am at the city police station and charged with three counts of administer noxious thing, endanger life, or cause bodily harm, one count of assault with a weapon, one count of mischief, one count of possession of a prohibited weapon and two count of breach of a release document. It is alleged that on the 5th of June at approximately 6:15 am he attended at the apartment of a person known to him and when the male occupant opened the door, the accused sprayed a large canister of bear spray at him, covering him and the apartment. Two other victims were inside the apartment at the time and were also affected by the spray. All three persons had to attend at the hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The accused fled the scene prior to police arrival but was later arrested at the station when he attended there to sign in as a condition of a previous release order. At the time of the incident the accused was on a recognizance order and breached the curfew hours and also he was also not to possess any prohibited weapons. He is to appear in bail court this morning.

Break, Enter & Commit

1) A 17 year-old male youth was arrested on the 6th of June at 4:39 am on Henry Street and charged with one count of break, enter and commit. It is alleged that on the 6th of June at approximately 4:36 city police received a call from a homeowner on Henry Street regarding a break and enter in progress. When police arrived the homeowner was holding the accused and learned that three other persons involved that fled on foot. Police searched the area but could not locate the other suspects. The accused is to appear in court on the 14th of July. Police are continuing the investigation and are attempting to identify the other suspects involved.

2) A 13 year-old male youth was arrested on the 6th of June at 2:27 pm at a west end residence and charged with one count of break, enter and commit and one count of assault with a weapon. It is alleged that on the 6th of June at approximately 12:30 pm the accused attended at the residence of a 14 year-old male known to him and when the occupant refused to go outside to fight the accused, the accused started to assault him by kicking and punching him. The victim went inside and locks the doors. A short while later, the accused enters the residence through a window and attacks the victim once again. The victim is able to fight off the accused and get him out of the residence. The accused returns a third time and threatens the victim with a baseball but flees on foot before police arrival. No injuries wearer reported. He is located a short while later at a west end residence. The accused is to appear in court on the 15th of July.

Trespassing, Possession of Property Obtained by Crime

On the 6th of June at approximately 2:30 am city police received a call regarding three suspicious youths that were pushing a 4-wheeler out of a in the back yard of a residence on Lethbridge Street. When police arrived in the area, they discovered a stolen ATV in the bush area off Peoples Road. The Canine Unit attended and two male suspects were quickly located and apprehended in the area. One 17 year-old male youth was charged with one count of trespassing at night and one count of possession of property obtained by crime and the other 17 year-old was male was charged with one count of trespassing at night. They are to appear in court on the 7th of July.

Domestic Dispute

A 24 year-old female and a 25 year-old male were arrested on the 5th of June at approximately 9:15 pm after city police were called to their residence for a domestic dispute. It is alleged that the two, living in a common law relationship, got into a heated argument when the female grabbed a carpet knife and swung it at the male several times. The male knocked her to the floor and punched her a number of times. The female got up, grabbed a crow bar and struck the male in the back area and was attacked by the male once again. They are to appear in bail court this morning.