Peterborough police have released further details about the arrest of a 34-year-old Peterborough man on Wednesday (September 17) after a large-scale search the previous day that involved the emergency response team, canine unit, and an OPP helicopter.
While some comments on social media had criticized the number of resources being used to capture a man who police had described as being accused of non-violent crimes, the additional details released by police describe the man’s history of criminal activity and the incident that led police to conduct the large-scale search.
At around 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday, officers with the Peterborough police and the provincial Repeat Offender Parole Enforcement (ROPE) squad were working to apprehend the man, who was wanted on a warrant for what police call “substantial” property-related crimes.
When officers attempted to stop the suspect’s vehicle in the Simcoe Street and Aylmer Street area, it struck a police vehicle and fled from police. The man then drove to the area of Little Lake Cemetery before discarding most of his clothes and swimming across Little Lake. Once across the lake, he headed north along Ashburnham Drive toward Old Norwood Road.
Police then launched a large-scale search in the area of Old Norwood Road, Television Road, Maniece Avenue, and Ashburnham Drive, but were unable to locate the man.
At around 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, police received a call about a suspicious man wrapped in a blanket in the area of Parkhill Road and Television Road. When officers arrived, they learned he had left in a vehicle.
Shortly after, the suspect was located on a property where he had been staying in Peterborough County. Police dog Gryphon found the man under a bed in a trailer and officers took him into custody.
The accused man was originally arrested and charged on July 23 when police conducted a search warrant at a property east of Peterborough after an eight-month investigation. Police seized a range of equipment stolen over the previous three years as well as weapons and drugs. The total value of the stolen property was around $255,000.
At the time of his arrest in July, the man was already wanted on a warrant in another jurisdiction and was bound by a weapons prohibition order, several driving prohibitions, as well as a recognizance order to keep the peace and be of good behaviour and to not possess any weapons.
In addition to the original charges laid in July, the man has now also been charged with assaulting a peace officer with a weapon (striking a police vehicle with an officer inside), operation of a motor vehicle while prohibited, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, flight from peace officer, failure to comply with a release order, breach of recognizance, and disobeying a court order.
The accused man appeared in court on Wednesday and remains in police custody. He will appear in court again on Friday (September 19).
