Members of the LaSalle Police Service, working from Monday August 10th to Sunday August 16th, were kept busy responding to 449 calls for service and activities including:
18 – Emergency 911 Calls
5 – Alarms
1 – Assault Complaint
1 – Assist Ambulance
3 – Assist Other Police Service
8 – By-Law Complaints
79 – Directed Patrols
1 – Domestic Dispute
7 – Driving Complaints
1 – Family Dispute
2 – Frauds
3 – Impaired Driving Complaints
2 – Mischief Complaints
1 – Missing Person
6 – Motor Vehicle Collisions
135 – Property Checks
6 – Suspicious Activity
4 – Thefts
107 – Traffic Stops & Vehicle Checks
7 – Wellness Checks
August 10th
Mischief
Information was received on this day that two benches and a children’s play area had been damaged at Holy Cross School on Sandwich West Parkway. There has also been garbage and beer bottles left on the ground. An Officer took pictures of the damage for evidence and a directed patrol has been created to ensure no one is trespassing or causing mischief.
Driver Charged with Multiple Offences While Prohibited From Operating a Motor Vehicle
Just before 9:00 PM, a LaSalle Police Officer stopped a motor vehicle on Front Road for speeding 31 km/h over the speed limit. The officer confirmed the male drivers identity and discovered that their drivers licence was currently under four separate suspensions as well as a Canada wide driving prohibition stemming from a Criminal Code related matter. The driver was issued with 5 Part III Summonses and will be required to appear before a justice of the peace to answer to the charges of driving while suspended as well as speeding. The driver will also be required to appear in criminal court to answer to the charge of driving while prohibited. Persons prohibited from driving under the Criminal Code are subject to having their motor vehicle impounded for a period of 45 days.
3 Day Driver’s Licence Suspension – Alcohol
At 10:45 PM, an officer stopped a motor vehicle on Front Road for a traffic violation. During the interaction with the driver the officer detected the odour of alcohol and demanded a breath sample. The lone male driver registered over 50mgs of alcohol per 100 mls of blood and his drivers licence was subsequently suspended for a period of three days. The driver will be required to pay a $280.00 fee to the Ministry of Transportation to have their drivers licence reinstated.
August 11th
Fraud
On this day after her day shift, a LaSalle Police Communicator stopped into Shopper’s Drug Mart to make a few purchases before going home from work. While she was in line to pay for her items she over heard the customer in front of her attempting to make very large purchases of Google Play cards. Familiar with on-line scams she politely inquired with the male why he was making those large purchases, hoping he would say it was for a gift. Unfortunately, it was not. The male disclosed to her that he was on-line and clicked on something. A large “pop up” took over his computer screen advising that his computer was infected and to contact Microsoft with a provided number. He spoke to a person at the other end who advised him that he needed to pay in gift cards to have the computer fixed. The person also instructed the victim to give them access and control of the computer and guided them on the process. Once access was gained, the culprit had total control of the victims computer. The victim was instructed to purchase Google Play Cards and to read the card numbers to the culprit. The victim complied and the culprit continued to state that as they were removing malware, more malware was being discovered and required further payment. They instructed the victim to purchase more gift cards to cover the additional costs. The LaSalle Police communicator luckily intervened before they were out more funds and told the victim that he had been scammed. They were instructed to immediately attend the LaSalle Police Service to file a report. In the end the victim was out $2000 before it was over. Police are continuing to investigate this matter. This is a common scam and the accused are likely located overseas. Nobody is suddenly going to call you unsolicited to “fix” your computer. Microsoft certainly does not do this. If you suspect that your computer has been taken over or has malware or a virus within, bring it to a reputable technician to have the viruses professionally removed.
DO NOT fall victim to tricky scammers.
For more information about how to protect you and your loved ones from this and other new scams check out the following sites;
https://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm or
https://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/h_00122.html
August 13th
Suspicious Circumstances: Unknown Female Approaches Porch
An officer received a report regarding an unknown female that had approached his residence on Seven Lakes Drive. This would be the third occurrence this year that this has happened to the same address. Video surveillance was submitted. The surveillance video revealed a Caucasian woman, with dark hair in a bun, wearing a dark t-shirt with black leggings, purple anklet socks and green Croc sandals approach the porch and peer into a plastic bin. When she peers inside and realizes that nothing is inside, the female walks away from the porch, down the driveway and down the street on foot going westbound. Police are working to identify the female to determine her intentions and the matter is under investigation.
Assist Public: Baby Trapped in Vehicle
LaSalle Police Officers were dispatched to a residence in LaSalle in regards to a mother who had accidentally locked her baby in her vehicle prior to leaving and was requesting assistance. The vehicle was not running and the windows were all up. On this day, it was particularly hot at a temperature of 33 degree Celsius. Officers and the family made the decision that waiting for CAA to arrive for access to the vehicle would take too long as the child had already been in there for 10 minutes. A decision was made to break the drivers side front window to retrieve the baby from the vehicle. This was completed without incident and the child was removed from the vehicle, healthy and unharmed.
August 14th
Motor Vehicle vs. Cyclist
At 7:20 AM, LaSalle Police Officers attended the intersection of County Road 8 and Disputed Road for reports of a collision involving a motor vehicle and a cyclist with in an injury. Through investigation the officers determined that the cyclist was travelling westbound on the north side of County Road 8, while the vehicle was approached from northbound from 5th Concession, Amherstburg approaching the intersection of County Road 8. The vehicle did not stop at the designated stop sign and continued to enter the intersection at the same time as the cyclist. The cyclist was thrown off their bike and rolled onto the grass/ditch area. Fortunately the cyclist was wearing a helmet. They sustained minor injuries and were transported to the hospital. The driver of the motor vehicle was charged with “Fail to yield to traffic on through highway” Highway Traffic Act Section 136(1)(b).
August 15th
Vehicle Entered Overnight
An officer was dispatched to Seasons Retirement Home on Sandwich West Parkway for a report of a theft from motor vehicle. The vehicle was accidentally left unlocked overnight and someone had stolen loose change and 2 pairs of glasses out of the centre console. A bag with jumper cables and other miscellaneous items were also stolen from the trunk. The total loss value was about $118.00. The LaSalle Police Service continues to ask residents to help prevent crimes of opportunity. Lock your vehicles.
August 16th
Obstruct Peace Officer
In the very early hours of this morning an officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle hauling a boat, in the area of Matchette and Martin Lane. The trailer carrying the boat had no rear lights illuminated. The officer spoke with the male driver and passenger and had a brief conversation with the driver about the matter. When the officer was returning to the police cruiser to investigate further, both the driver and male passenger left their vehicle and took off running. Additional officers were summoned to the area to search for the two males. The vehicle and, vessel and trailer were towed to the LaSalle Police Service and the driver of the vehicle was later located by police not far from the area of the traffic stop. The passenger was not located. The male driver was placed under arrest and charged with obstruct peace officer, suspicion of Theft of the boat, and driving while prohibited. He was later released and will have to attend court to answer to the criminal charges.