Friday, September 30, 2005

Hwy 69 Road Closure – Update (2:56 pm)

(Sudbury, ON) Highway 69 has now been re-opened .

Ten-Dollar Counterfeit Surfaces in Elliot Lake

(Elliot Lake, Ont.) On Monday, September 26, 2005 police attended a local bank in regards to a possible counterfeit $10.00 bill.

Investigation revealed that the $10.00 bearing serial # SNA2554894 was indeed counterfeit.

Investigation continuing.

Shoplifting is a Crime

(Elliot Lake, Ont.) On the 21st of September 2005 the OPP attended a grocery store in regards to a possible theft. Police spoke with the complainant and learned that the suspect was seen by an employee, wrapping unpaid items with his coat. The male then left the store without paying.

Charged with Theft Under is Norman TOPPING (55) of Muskoka Lakes, Ontario. TOPPING is scheduled to appear in court on November 15th, 2005.

Police have also charged a local man after attending a local grocery store in regards to a theft. Investigation revealed that on September 26th, 2005 a male was observed placing unpaid items in his coat pockets. The suspect then left the store without paying for the items.

Charged with Theft Under is Franco FORTIER (28) of Elliot Lake. FORTIER is scheduled to attend court on November 15, 2005.

Theft from Fire Tower Lookout

(Elliot Lake, Ont.) The East Algoma OPP is currently investigating the theft of a telescope from the Fire Tower Lookout in Elliot Lake.

Unknown person(s) attended the tower sometime between September 11th, 2005 and September 24th, 2005 and removed the telescope from the upper deck. The telescope is described as a silver/grey colour, approximately 3 feet in length and 8” in diameter.


UPDATE – PURSUIT HWY. 17

(Sudbury) – At approximately 1:30 a.m. this date, a Sudbury OPP officer was on patrol and noticed a vehicle travelling westbound in the eastbound lanes, on the
4-lane portion of Hwy. 17 near Regional Road 55, Whitefish, ON. The vehicle then stopped for the officer but as the officer walked up to it, the driver sped up and fled. A pursuit ensued but had to be terminated a short while later. The vehicle was later stopped east of Blind River with the use of a spike belt. The driver then fled on foot into the bush. An O.P.P. canine unit was dispatched and later located the driver who had climbed approximately fifty feet up a tree. The male driver, Stewart Terry LEWIS, age 26, of Scarborough, ON was arrested without incident. He is charged with Flight From Police and Breach of Probation, contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada. He is being held in custody for a bail hearing today.

OPP Public Appeal
Custody Order Breached - Arrest Warrant Issued

(Temiskaming Shores, ON) The Ontario Provincial Police is seeking the whereabouts of Joseph Stagg who is believed to be traveling with his thirteen-year-old disabled daughter. An arrest warrant has been issued for 63-year-old Joseph Stagg, Lot 10 Concession 6 Armstrong Twp. and Tenth Street, Earlton, who is in breach of a custody order. Joseph Stagg was last seen at a residence west of Charlton on Friday, September 16th when he arrived to pickup his daughter for a scheduled visit. He failed to return his daughter to the legal guardian on Sunday, September 18th. His daughter, Alannah Stagg, is in a wheelchair, non-verbal and uses a signboard to communicate.

Description of Joseph Stagg:
- medium length, curly gray hair
- weathered appearance
- height 5’ 7”
- average weight
- medium build
- usually wears baseball cap
- frequently wears work-type clothes

Stagg was previously employed in the forest industry in the Englehart, Ontario area and may be driving a blue 1994 Oldsmobile. There are indications that the pair may have traveled to Orillia, or possibly western Canada.

Investigators have exhausted all local leads and are expanding the investigation and requesting the public’s assistance in locating Joseph Stagg and his daughter Alannah. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Temiskaming OPP Crime Unit at
(705) 647-8400 or 1-888-310-1122.

Hwy 69 closed – Detour Update

(Sudbury, ON) A tractor trailer collision approximately 15 km south of Sudbury on Hwy 69 has closed the highway.

Northbound traffic is being re-routed at Hwy 537 south of the collision coming out at Wahnapitae. Southbound traffic is rerouted at Sudbury to Hwy 17 to Wahnapitae and south on Hwy 537.


Heydon Woman Charged

Heyden, Ont., A thirty seven year old Heyden woman will appear in Sault Ste Marie court on November 21 2005 after being charged with fraud.

Members of the Sault Ste Marie OPP Crime Unit conducted a month long fraud investigation after an allegation that the woman collected benefits from the Ministry of Community and Social Services knowing that she was not entitled to the benefits.

The fraud allegation indicates that between 2002 and 2005 she illegally collected benefits from the Ministry of Community and Social Services estimated to be in excess of $35,000.00.

Thirty seven year old Tina Archibald has been charged with one count of Fraud Over $5000.00.


Update: Do not pick-up hitchhikers

(Highway 17,) The Ontario Provincial Police are currently conducting an investigation on Hwy 17 Between Spragge and Blind River. The Ontario Provincial Police are urging motorist not to pick up any hitchhikers in this area. Blind River Detachment is currently looking for a male, 5’11”, 190 lbs blonde hair, blue eyes.

The Ontario Provincial Police have arrested a male subject.

No further are available at this time.