WATCH ABOVE: When tools were allegedly stolen from his business, Mike Nolet posted his own wanted ad in the paper. Mark Carcasole reports.
TORONTO – The vice president of a Brampton retailer, fed up with alleged repeated thefts, has decided to launch his own hunt for the men he claims broke into trailers and stole company tools last week.
Surveillance footage captured outside Brock Windows on Orenda Rd. near West Dr. shows two men pulling into the business’ lot last Wednesday night, getting out of a car, breaking open trailers and stealing items from inside.
Company Vice President Mike Nolet made the video available to Global News, but the first glimpse of still images of the incident came in a full page advertisement in Sunday’s edition of the Toronto Sun.
“Thieves!” screams the title of the black and white ad on page 13, imploring anyone with information identifying the two men allegedly caught red-handed.
“The information would just be passed along to the police so that they can catch them and hopefully put a stop to this,” Nolet said in an email, addressing the concerns of some that he is advocating vigilantism.
“The police have been great but it is hard to catch a thief without photos. We did pass along the video on Friday to the police and I thought the newspaper ad would get some results.”
But Peel Regional Police don’t seem to appreciate Nolet’s tactics.
“We do not recommend that you do this type of thing,” says Const. Fiona Thiverge.
For one, despite what the video seems to show, she says detectives still haven’t officially designated the men as suspects.
“The other thing is, depending on the stage of the investigation that we’re in, these parties could potentially be somebody that we’re already looking at. And by putting it out in the paper, our investigation has been put in jeopardy.”
While Toronto lawyer Boris Bytenski isn’t worried about the legality of the ad or the potential for a fair trial if the two accused are charged, he does caution that Nolet’s approach leaves him open for legal action should those men be found innocent.
“If somebody is wrongly identified as a thief, either by the … shopkeeper who placed the ad, or by the Sun who published it, at least in theory, there is the potential for some kind of defamation or libel action.”
Nolet says he believes he’s doing the right thing, and that several emails of support have told him the same. He’s tired of being the victim of a crime he says has occurred as many as six times in the past few years.
“I work very hard for my income and so do my employees that show up to work and then cannot because they have no tools,” he said.
“I never planned on apprehending him myself just to get his name and contact info.”
Some businesses in the area tell Global News they’ve had propane tanks and scrap metal stolen in recent months; others have reported automotive break-ins, necessitating upgrades to security and surveillance.
But Peel Police say unfortunately, theft is a common problem in many industrial areas.
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