OPP roundup: Thieves scoop up 40,000 kilograms of butter
An occasional roundup of unusual events reported by the Ontario Provincial Police:
Now the thieves need several thousand loaves of bread.
On Dec. 26, police were called to a trucking facility in Trenton, west of Belleville. Two transport trucks were stolen and used to steal two trailers - each loaded with 20,000 kilograms of butter, worth a total of $200,000.
The next day, the trucks and trailers were found in the Toronto area with their contents emptied," police said.
If your neighbour tries to sell you a load of butter, call OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
Art heist
Art thieves cashed in at a business in Owen Sound.
In a Dec. 22 news release, police said the items stolen are worth $180,000. They included a watercolour, titled May Green," by painter Dorothy Knowles, described by Montreal art gallery Han Art as without a doubt one of Canada's most extraordinary landscape artists."
Several paintings by other artists, as well as bicycles, televisions and a bar fridge, were also stolen.
Anyone with information can call OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
Time to quit
Didn't anyone tell her smoking is dangerous?
On Christmas at 8:20 p.m., police investigated a car crash on Swimming Pool Road in Windham, Norfolk County.
It was determined that a vehicle was travelling along Swimming Pool Road when the driver dropped a lit cigarette in the vehicle," police said. As a result, the vehicle left the roadway, collided with a road sign and then entered a ditch."
An Oxford County woman, 21, was charged with careless driving.
Dogs attack officers
Police had to kill a dog that attacked them.
On Dec. 28, at 9 p.m., officers responded to reports of a disturbance at a motel in Bracebridge.
Officers attempted to effect an arrest of the accused, who resisted," OPP said. During the altercation, two large dogs attacked the officers. One was successfully stopped with the use of a conducted energy weapon.
The second dog did not respond to multiple CEW attempts and was subsequently dispatched due to concerns for officer safety."
A Brockton man, 40, was charged with mischief and causing a disturbance.
Catch me if you can
On Dec. 28, police tried to pull over a car speeding on Highway 401 near Aikins Road in Quinte West, near Belleville. The car accelerated to 170 km/h. Police didn't give chase, for public safety reasons.
Investigation led officers to an address in Belleville, where it was learned that the vehicle was allegedly taken without the owner's consent," OPP said.
While officers were at the residence, the accused drove by on two separate occasions where he again failed to stop for police."
Police found the car a short distance away with the driver hiding behind a tree.
A Toronto man, 26, was charged with fleeing police, dangerous driving, racing and auto theft.
Well, that was easy
An alleged criminal was easy to find.
On Dec. 10, at 4:30 a.m., police responded to an alarm at a business in Collingwood. The front window was smashed and items were missing.
Police saw fresh footprints in the snow leading away from the business.
A short distance away officers located a discarded jacket and inside the pockets was a document with a person's name on it," OPP said.
Officers continued to follow the footprints which led to a nearby residence and upon knocking on the door, officers were greeted by a male who was identified as the person whose name appeared on the found document."
Boots near the front door matched the footprints leaving the business.
A Collingwood man, 47, was charged with breaking and entering.
Wrong-way driver
Police charged a wrong-way driver on Highway 400.
On Dec. 23, at 10:40 a.m., officers responded to numerous complaints of a car driving the wrong way in Seguin Township, near Parry Sound.
A McDougall Township woman, 64, was charged with impaired driving.
Gordon Paul is a Waterloo Region-based reporter focusing on crime for The Record. Reach him via email: gpaul@therecord.com