Man charged in break-in at police HQ charged in break-in at downtown high-rise

A 29-year-old Stratford man, charged early Thursday morning for attempting to break into London police headquarters, is facing new charges in connection with a separate incident 15 hours later at a downtown high-rise, police said Friday.

Officers were called to a Talbot Street high-rise around 4 p.m. Thursday after an occupant of the building found a man hiding inside a unit.

The building occupant left the unit and was waiting in the hall with the property manager when the man exited, waving a large knife while carrying several bags of property, police said.

Police arrived and located the suspect who was taken into custody. He faces a charge of break and enter, theft and assault with a weapon in the case, police said.

Police confirmed the accused was the same 29-year-old Stratford man who had been arrested early Thursday morning for trying to break into London police headquarters on Dundas Street.

It was around 1 a.m. when police say a man was seen breaking the front window of a store at 437 Adelaide St.

The man left the scene and was later observed striking the front door of 572 Dundas St. before moving to police headquarters across the street.

“The man struck a glass exit door on the north side of the building with a bicycle chain, eventually breaking the glass and attempting to enter the building,” Const. Sandasha Bough said. “Officers attended the scene and instructed the man to drop the bicycle chain. When he refused, a Taser was successfully deployed.”

The accused was taken into custody and charged with break and enter, possession of a weapon, and two counts of mischief under $5,000. Damages were estimated at approximately $3,000.

The accused was scheduled to appear in court Thursday in connection with the incident at London police headquarters.

– With files from Devon Peacock