Monday, June 23, 2003

COTTAGES BROKEN INTO AND VANDALIZED
Batchawana, Ont.,

Ontario Provincial Police in Sault Ste. Marie is investigating four break and enters into cottages in the Batchawana area.

Owners of the homes on Grind Stone Road arrived this weekend to find that someone had forced their way into four vacation homes and vandalized the interiors of the houses. In two of the homes, fire extinguishers were emptied all over the interior of the house. Furniture in all four homes was turned over and strewn about the houses.

It appears that little, if anything, was taken from the houses but the damage due to vandalism is extensive.


TOOLS STOLEN FROM HEYDEN GARAGE
Heyden, Ont.,

A break and enter into a garage in Heyden has resulted in several tools missing.

The property owner on Old Mill Rd in Heyden found that thieves had forced their way into the garage and stole a chain saw, ice auger and other tools.

The O.P.P. is hoping that someone may have seen a person carry an ice auger during this summers first heat wave and may want to ask themselves why would someone want an ice auger in the middle of the summer. If you did see the culprits with an ice auger please call your information into the Sault Ste Marie OPP or Crime Stoppers.


THREE NUSIANCE BEAR CALLS - ONE BEAR SHOT
Goulais River, Ont.,

O.P.P. officers from the Sault Ste. Marie detachment were called to three nuisance bear calls over the weekend and had to shoot one bear.

On Sunday 22 June at about 4:00 p.m. O.P.P. responded to a group of stores and restaurants at the intersection of Hwy 17 and Pineshores Road. A bear had been seen in that area for several days. On this date the bear was wandering around the parking lot. Several attempts were made to scare the animal away but these attempts did not seem to have an effect on the bear. Several shoppers expressed concern for their safety and wouldn't leave the stores.

Officers arrived on the scene and the animal still wouldn't leave. In the interest of the safety of the shoppers and the local residents in that area, officers then shot the animal.

Sault Ste. Marie O.P.P. received two other bear calls over the weekend. One call came from a beach in the Havilland Shores Drive area. A bear was seen wandering near a beach were children were playing. A dog gave chase to the animal and the bear fled back into the woods.

In the third call, a Searchmont mother called police after a bear was in her yard for about two hours. This bear eventually left. The woman has two small children and she did express her concern for their safety.


READ THE SIGN!!
Harmony Beach, Ont.,

With the warm weather now here the annual invasion of area beaches was in full force this weekend.

The people who live all year around in the Harmony Beach area have expressed a concern with the visitors to the popular beach north of Sault Ste. Marie. The road at the beach is clearly marked with no parking in certain areas.

As the beach fills up, many motorist choose to ignore the signs and park wherever they feel like. These parking habits make it difficult, and sometimes impossible for emergency vehicles such as fire trucks and ambulances to get into the area.

O.P.P. were called to the beach several times this weekend for the parking infractions. Two Sault Ste. Marie people left the beach with parking tickets.

Obey the signs and all you will have to worry about is the sand between your toes when you leave the beach area.


FOUR VEHICLES ENTERED - ONE STOLEN
Echo Bay, Ont.,

Sault Ste. Marie O.P.P. and the Sault Ste. Marie City Police are investigating the theft of one truck and the attempted theft of four other vehicles in the Echo Bay area.

A pick-up truck that was stolen early Saturday morning from Echo Bay was found burned in the east end of Sault Ste. Marie. Four other Echo Bay residents report that they also had vehicles entered and the interior of the cars and trucks ransacked. All five of these vehicles were left unlocked.


EARLY MORNING COLLISION RESULTS IN CHARGES
Goulais River, Ont.,

An 18-year-old Sault Ste. Marie resident was charged after the car she was driving rolled over into a ditch on Saturday morning.

At about 3:00 a.m. Saturday the car was southbound on Havilland Shores Drive when the driver failed to stop for a stop sign. As the vehicle rounded the corner the car entered the ditch and rolled over.

18-year-old Korina Nicastro of Sault Ste. Marie has been charged with failing to stop for a stop sign. No one was injured in the collision.