Four arrested in vape store break-ins
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Sometime overnight between Wednesday, Nov. 15 and Thursday, Nov. 16, the Ontario Electronic Vape Store, located on Simcoe Street in Tillsonburg, was broken into.
The break, enter and theft was discovered by a passerby at approximately 7:10 a.m. and the Oxford County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded. Suspects disabled the business alarm, smashed through the front door using a baseball bat, then entered the store. Once inside, suspects used the bat to break a glass display case and stole vape products from the case and surrounding shelves.
On Friday Nov. 17, at approximately 12:55 a.m., OPP responded to a glass breaking alarm at the same Ontario Electronic Vape Store in Tillsonburg.
It was discovered that three suspects had broken through the front glass door, again gaining entry to the business. Once inside the glass cabinets were smashed and vape products stolen. The suspects were all believed to be male, all wearing dark clothing, balaclavas and gloves. One suspect appeared to be wearing a Halloween mask with long grey hair, possibly a wig.
The value of products stolen from both break, enter and thefts was approximately $6,200.
Through investigation, OPP have arrested and charged four suspects.
Charged with Break, Enter a Place - Commit Indictable Offence, contrary to The Criminal Code of Canada is Dylan Mitton, 18, of Tillsonburg and three 15-year-old male youths of Tillsonburg.
The three male youths will not be identified in accordance with the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
All four suspects were released on a Promise to Appear and an Officer In Charge Undertaking with a future court date.
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Motorist strikes OPP cruiser on 401
On Thursday, Dec. 21, a member of the Oxford County Ontario Provincial Police was at the scene of a motor vehicle collision on Highway 401 near Culloden Road in the westbound lanes.
The officer was stopped against the centre median, in his fully marked police cruiser with emergency lights activated. At approximately 9:20 p.m., a vehicle, not related to the initial collision, was travelling westbound in lane one, lost control and slid into the cruiser.
There were no injuries to the driver of the vehicle, or the officer who was in the cruiser at the time of the collision.
The cruiser was towed from the scene, and the other vehicle involved was able to be driven from the scene.
The collision remains under investigation.
OPP are looking to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the collision and have yet to speak to police. Any person with information regarding this incident should immediately contact the Oxford County OPP at 519-485-6554, the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or their nearest police authority.
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OPP stop vehicle traveling double the speed limit in school zone
The Ontario Provincial Police Norfolk County Detachment charged a 34-year-old male after police stopped a motor vehicle at a Talbot Street, Courtland.
On Thursday, Dec. 21, at approximately 12:57 p.m., officers were on patrol in the area of Talbot Street and Adams Street when a motor vehicle appeared to be traveling at a high rate of speed northbound on Adams Street near a local elementary school.
The motor vehicle ran through radar and recorded a reading well above the posted 40 km/h speed limit at which time officers stopped and investigated the vehicle. As a result, a large quantity of illicit drugs were seized by police.
Charged with Drive Motor Vehicle, Perform Stunt - speeding by 50 or more km/hr, contrary to section 172 (1) of the Highway Traffic Act and Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Cocaine is 34-year-old David W. Knelsen of Norfolk County.
OPP are reminding all motorists that the minimum fine for Stunt Driving, if convicted is $2,000 and an automatic drivers licence suspension for seven days.
He was scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice, Simcoe at a later date.
"Speeding and other forms of aggressive driving are dangerous behaviours and remain a leading cause in fatal motor vehicle collisions (MVC) on OPP-patrolled roads. The OPP remains committed to enforcing Ontario laws associated with speeding and aggressive driving in an effort to save lives on our roads," said Inspector Lisa Anderson, Interim Detachment Commander, Norfolk County OPP in a media release.