Woodstock Police Service briefs

Lee Griffi, Editor

Woodstock police make arrests in three vehicle-theft investigations

The Woodstock Police Service has made several arrests and recovered stolen vehicles and property in three separate investigations, including two cases in which officers used drones and the service’s K9 Unit to track suspects.

The investigations come as police continue their work under Project IONIQ, an ongoing initiative targeting vehicle theft and related offences.

Stolen motorcycles recovered

On Aug. 28, members of the WPS Street Crime Unit executed a search warrant at a London address as part of an investigation into stolen motorcycles.

A 35-year-old man was arrested and charged with theft of a motor vehicle, possession of property obtained by crime, operation while prohibited and failure to comply with a release order. He was held in custody pending a bail hearing.

Police recovered two stolen motorcycles — one reported stolen in Woodstock and the other in London — along with motorcycle parts.

The investigation was led by the service’s auto theft investigator, a specialized position created in response to the growing complexity of vehicle theft and fraud investigations.

Police said the position allows the service to better identify crime trends, develop intelligence, coordinate investigations across jurisdictions and target those involved in vehicle-related crime.

Drone, K9 used to track suspects

Two other investigations earlier in the month highlighted the role of the service’s drone and K9 capabilities in locating suspects.

On Aug. 21, police were called to a hotel on Norwich Avenue after a man was reportedly seen stealing a generator from the back of a truck.

Surveillance footage showed a man arriving on a motorcycle and taking the generator.

Officers later spotted a motorcycle travelling on Parkinson Road and attempted to stop the driver, who fled.

A police drone was used to track the suspect as he climbed a fence and crossed both the westbound and eastbound lanes of Highway 401 before continuing toward Highway 403 and into nearby fields.

With assistance from the K9 Unit, officers located and arrested the suspect in an agricultural field. Police also recovered a stolen motorcycle.

A 19-year-old Woodstock man was charged with two counts of theft under $5,000, flight from a peace officer, dangerous operation, failure to comply with a probation order and disobeying a court order. He was held in custody pending a bail hearing.

Three men were arrested three days later following another stolen-vehicle investigation.

In the early morning hours of Aug. 24, an officer spotted a vehicle in a Mill Street parking lot. When officers approached, the driver fled at a high rate of speed.

Police discontinued the pursuit because of concerns for public safety but continued monitoring the vehicle.

The vehicle was later seen entering the Highway 401 off-ramp and travelling westbound in the eastbound lanes before turning around and heading east. It continued onto highways 403, 53 and 2 before entering a business property and crashing into a ditch.

A police drone spotted three people leaving the vehicle and travelling through a wooded area near the 401. A K9 Unit was deployed to track them.

One man was arrested at about 5:30 a.m., followed by two others at about 6 a.m., with assistance from the drone and K9 Unit.

A 34-year-old Hamilton man and 45-year-old and 39-year-old Brampton men were each charged with possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000. Police said all three were already subject to release orders or undertakings for various property offences.

All three were held in custody pending bail hearings.

WPS media relations and community service officer Pritpal Thind said the two investigations demonstrate how drones and police dogs can work together to locate suspects in difficult terrain.

“The police drone provides officers with an aerial view of large or difficult-to-access areas and can help locate and monitor individuals from a distance,” Thind said.

“The K9 Unit provides an additional tracking capability once officers have established a last known location.”

Police said Project IONIQ remains ongoing as the service continues to investigate vehicle theft and related offences.