Thursday, December 4, 2003

STORE THEFT

On the 24th of November, the accused, Natasha Dool, age 21 of 7 Queen Street East was in the Zellers Store at 293 Bay Street. While in the store, she allegedly removed some merchandise and left the store without paying for it. She was stopped by security and brought back to office. Police were notified and she was charged with theft.

A further investigation revealed that the accused had assaulted the security staff by struggling with them. Yesterday morning, patrol officers charged her with two counts of Assault. Dool will appear in court on January 12th.

DEFLATED

Yesterday morning at approximately 6:00 am, Kristine Ruggles, age 46 of 151 Woodward Avenue, allegedly interfered with the lawful enjoyment of another person’s property by deflating the front driver's side tire of a vehicle thereby making it undriveable.

At 6:50 am patrol officers arrested the accused and charged her with Mischief. She will appear in court on January 12th.

CHECK YOUR CHEQUES

On or between the 1st of September and the 12th of September , the accused, Colin West, age 20 of 40 Woodhurst Street, allegedly stole blank cheques belonging to the owner of a business. Between the 12th of September and the 27th of November the accused signed the owner’s name on numerous cheques totaling over $10,000.00 and cashed these cheques at various banks.

A police investigation was commenced into the matter and on December 3rd at 1:55 pm Detectives from the Fraud Unit arrested and charged the accused with Theft, Fraud and Uttering Forged Documents. He will appear in court on January 12th.

SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THERE

Yesterday afternoon at 12:15 pm, Jordan Petty, age 19 of no fixed address called the police service from a residence he was on release conditions not to be at.

A police records check revealed he was on further conditions not to be communicating with tenant of the apartment he was at. Patrol officers subsequently arrested Petty at 12:34 pm and charged him with three counts of breach of undertaking. He will appear in bail court today.

ASSAULT CHARGE

On the 29th of November , the accused, a 13-year-old youth approached the victim, another youth, outside a west end address and got into a verbal altercation. The accused became angry and allegedly punched the victim in the face. This punch caused one of the victim's teeth to fall out and another tooth to come through the victim's bottom lip.

The victim also received swelling and bruising to his face. The victim attended at the hospital and was treated for minor injures. Yesterday afternoon, at 4:30 pm, detectives arrested and charged the accused with Assault Cause Bodily Harm. The youth will appear in court in early January.

Holiday Safety Tips

This holiday season should be a time of great joy as we celebrate and share gifts with those close to us. Unfortunately, it can be a time when crime becomes more prevalent. These "Holiday Safety Tips" are offered to help make your holiday season a safe and happy one.

Be alert: Walk confidently, with your head up, and stay in well-lighted and well-traveled areas. Pay attention to people walking in front of and behind you.

Pay particular attention when you are in crowded areas, such as buses or malls and stores that are filled with other shoppers. Places with large crowds are favourites for thieves and pickpockets.

If you carry a purse, keep it in front of you and close to your body. You can do this by covering the flap or clasp with your hand or forearm. Never leave your purse in a shopping cart or on a counter while you pay for your purchases. When using public washrooms, use extreme caution--try to avoid putting your purse on hooks or door handles. Remember not to carry open-weave bags or purses without zippers or flaps. Those items are easy marks for pickpockets.

Be discreet: Never carry large amounts of money. Whenever possible, use credit cards or checks instead of cash. When using credit cards, make sure that only one credit slip is printed with your charge card. Also, be sure to tear up any carbons that may be used to complete the transaction. Credit card fraud can ruin your holiday season.

Thieves and pickpockets are more likely to be attracted by expensive clothes and jewelry. When you are out doing your holiday shopping, dress comfortably and casually.

Secure your car: Cars can be an easy target for criminals. Park your car as close to your destination as possible and in a well-lighted area. When you do your shopping, remember to store your packages in the trunk of the car and not on the back seat.

Also, if you take packages to the car but plant to return to the store or mall, drive your car to a new location within the parking lot. Criminals can be on the lookout for unsuspecting shoppers who simply drop their purchases into the trunk and then return to keep shopping.

When returning to your vehicle (or home), have your keys in your hand, ready to open the door. The few moments you save may keep you from becoming a crime victim. Before entering your vehicle, carefully check the front and rear seats and floors for anyone that may be hiding there. Lock your doors immediately after entering the vehicle.

Secure your home: When you are out shopping, leave some lights on at home. You may also want to let a neighbour know that you will be out of the house for a short time, so they can watch your house for you.

If you plan to be away for a longer period to visit friends or family over the holidays, make sure to tell a neighbour or friend who can keep an eye on your house. Have them check periodically to make sure packages that may have been delivered while you were gone aren't sitting on your porch.