Three people face charges after more than $50,000 in reported stolen goods from across southern Ontario were recovered by Peterborough County OPP.
On Friday, police held a short media conference to show the array of items recovered at a property in the Municipality of Trent Hills about 50 kilometres southeast of Peterborough. Among the items were a business work trailer, tools, chainsaws, generators snowblowers, lawnmowers and even Christmas decorations.
Police say their initial investigation began following the theft of several snowblowers from a property in Selwyn Township north of Peterborough. A black pickup truck was reportedly involved. The items were soon recovered and two men were charged.
A tip from the public prompted further investigation. On Dec. 6, officers, including Northumberland County OPP, executed a search warrant at a Trent Hills property where they recovered dozens of items. A third person was arrested.
Police believe the items were going to be resold.
“It’s all new stock that’s been stolen from commercial businesses,” said Staff Sgt. Mike Cavanagh. “The value of items are significantly higher, so their intention was to get as much money from this property as possible.”
Police say they determined the trio worked together targeting businesses across southeastern Ontario including in Peterborough, Ottawa, Kingston, Cobourg, Belleville and Newmarket.
“They don’t want to burn themselves too much at one business so they’ll travel around to other businesses,” Cavanagh told Global News.
The recovered business work trailer belongs to signage company Media Works based in nearby Norwood. Surveillance video shows a black pickup truck on Dec. 2 towing the trailer away from an enclosed site on County Road 45 in Asphodel-Norwood Township.
Media Works owner Michael Van Der Melen says the theft occurred in a five-minute span.
“We came to work on Monday morning and noticed that the gates leading up to the parking lot — the lock had been cut and was open and that our enclosed trailer was missing,” he told Global News.
He says the company uses the trailer to transport merchandise.
“There’s the inconvenience,” he said. “There’s the cost — you work hard for your equipment.”
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A 49-year-old man from Trent Hills, a 53-year-old man from Asphodel-Norwood Township, and a 45-year-old woman from Havelock-Belmont Methuen Township were each charged with possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.
Both men were also charged with breaking and entering and failing to comply with a probation order (two counts for the Trent Hills man).
The Trent Hills suspect was also charged with one count of possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime under $5,000. The Norwood man was also charged with possession of break-in instruments.
Police say these types of thefts are common this time of year as the holidays approach.
“You have a lot of people that are looking to get money for their own holidays and people are out there trying to purchase items at a good rate,” said Const. Dan Gay.
As for Van Der Melen, he says he’ll be taking extra precautions with his company’s equipment.
“The only other thing we can do is geo-tag all our equipment,” he said.
OPP are still working to determine the owners of all the recovered items. If you recognize an item, call Peterborough County OPP at 705-742-0401 or the non-emergency line at 1-888-310-1122 or contact Crime Stoppers at stopcrimehere.ca to make a claim.
— with files from Germain Ma/Global News Peterborough
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