On September 2, 2024, at 7:40 pm the Sarnia Police Service responded to a dispute involving a stolen dog on Wellington Street in Sarnia. The victim and accused are known to each other and had gotten into an earlier argument over the victim's Chihuahua. Following that argument, video surveillance showed the accused exiting the victim's building with the stolen dog.
The search for the accused and the missing dog led officers to the 200 block of Forsyth Street in Sarnia. As officers were speaking with people in the area they received information that the accused had jumped from a second-story window and ran upon police arrival. Officers located the accused and attempted to arrest him, however he was able to break free and flee. Officers immediately set up containment in the area and called PC Urban and PSD Vader to the scene to locate the accused.
While awaiting the arrival of the police dog team, officers observed the accused emerge from a concealed location and run down Essex Street and then onto College, eventually losing sight of him again on Maria Street. PSD Vader was deployed in a tracking capacity, leading officers through backyards and over a fence.
The K9 track led into the backyard on Penrose Street where PSD Vader jumped on top of an overturned canoe and began to bark frantically. Police located the accused hiding under the overturned canoe. He surrendered himself into custody without any further issues. At the time of his arrest, the accused was on bail release with conditions to not be in possession of an animal. In addition, he was wanted on outstanding warrants with Waterloo Regional Police and the Ontario Provincial Police.
A 28 year old of Sarnia, was arrested and held for bail on multiple charges:
- Failing to comply with a release order Criminal Code (CC) 145(5)(a)
- Theft under $5,000, CC 334(b)
- Trespass by night CC 177
- Resist peace officer CC 129(a)
The stolen dog was located by police and returned to the owner.
“Held for bail” means the police chose to not release an accused person back into the community. However, as the police cannot hold a person in custody for longer than 24 hours, we are required to send them to bail court, where they will have a bail hearing. There, the presiding judge or Justice of the Peace will decide whether the person should be released into the community or not.