On Dec. 26 at around 8:30 p.m., the East Algoma Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to a report of an abandoned dump trailer that had been parked overnight near metal railway ties and appeared to be stuck on Green Lane Road east of the Town of Thessalon.
At approximately 9:15 p.m., officers arrived at the driveway of a railway business and observed a pickup truck attempting to retrieve the trailer, police said in a news release.
Upon inspection, police discovered that the trailer, which was covered, contained a significant amount of cut metal railway ties. In the back of the pickup truck, beneath a blanket, officers seized a 20-volt battery-powered grinder, black and yellow in colour, equipped with a used cutoff wheel.
Michael Schell, 38 years old from Elliot Lake, was charged with:
- Theft under $5,000
- Possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000
- Possession break in instruments
Dorothy Mattieu, 29 years old from Elliot Lake, was charged with:
- Theft under $5,000
- Possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000
- Possession break in instruments
Both accused are scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Elliot Lake on Feb. 6, 2025.
None of the allegations have been tested in court and both accused are considered innocent unless proven guilty.