Blood at the scene led cops to perfume burglar

It took authorities 16 months to sniff out Tristen Vipond's connection to a 2021 break-in at a downtown pharmacy that targeted perfume.

The burglars were caught on video damaging the front door of the Queenstown IDA Drug Mart, located at 302 Queen Street East, on Aug. 5, 2021.

They made off with $700 to $800 worth of perfume, a judge heard Tuesday.

City police responded to a call about an alarm at 4:30 a.m. and officers found blood on a broken window pane.

They collected a sample, assistant Crown attorney Adrianna Mucciarelli said.

One of the men had cut himself and in December 2022 city police were notified that a forensics DNA hit linked Vipond to the crime.

The 27-year-old pleaded guilty to break and enter to commit the indictable offence of theft.

He also was convicted of failing to comply with a probation order, between Dec. 14, 2022 and Feb. 17 of this year, and not showing up for a March court date,

The Crown and defence lawyer Eric McCooeye jointly recommended a 240-day jail term, less credit for the time his client has spent in pre-sentence custody, followed by two years probation.

Mucciarelli called the accused's criminal record, which includes convictions for break and enters in 2020 and 2022, as well as failing to comply with orders, an aggravating factor.

The break-in at the pharmacy caused a lot of damage to a local business, she told Ontario Court Justice John Condon.

Vipond's guilty pleas show remorse and saved witnesses from having to testify in court, the prosecutor said, citing this as mitigating.

McCooeye said the offence took place two years ago when Vipond was in a bad place.

He has addiction issues that need to be addressed, and can be part of the probation in this "significant sentence."

Vipond is "now very lucid and understanding of his situation," the defence said.

"You have had the benefit of being away from substances," Condon told Vipond.

 "I hope it's the beginning of a more productive life for you."

With the enhanced credit of 1.5 days for each day he has spent in custody, Vipond faces a further 133 days behind bars.

During his 24-month probation, he must stay away from the pharmacy and take any recommended assessment and counselling for substance abuse.

He also is prohibited from possessing break-in tools and weapons.