(HOWICK, ON) – If you see something, say something! Huron County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) credit a citizen’s call about some suspicious activity in Wroxeter with helping police catch a Ripley resident with some stolen property.
Just before 8:00 a.m. on July 17, 2021 Huron County OPP officers received a call about some suspicious activity and suspicious vehicles that were observed around a property located on Centre Street. Officers arrived a short time later and located a suspect on scene with a pickup truck, mini excavator and a trailer loaded with scrap wire.
The initial checks didn’t reveal the property was stolen however upon further investigation and with the assistance of the Insurance Bureau of Canada police were able to confirm the vehicles were indeed stolen.
The investigation led to the recovery of a mini-excavator stolen from North Huron, a pickup truck stolen from Leeds-Lansdowne Township and a trailer loaded with approximately $7,000 in scrap wire.
On August 1, 2021 Huron OPP officers arrested the accused without incident in Wingham.
Dale SOUTHARD, 34 years of age, from Ripley has been charged with the following offences:
· Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5,000 – 3 Counts
· Altering/Destroying/Removing a Vehicle Identification Number
The accused has since been released from custody with a court appearance scheduled for September 20, 2021 at the Ontario Court of Justice – Goderich.