(TOWNSHIP OF CENTRE WELLINGTON, ON) – On Monday April 2, 2018 Wellington County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) were notified by Guelph Police Service that they were seeking to arrest a male for property crimes, who was known to frequent Fergus. The Wellington County OPP and The Community Street Crime Unit (CSCU) began to actively search for this male.
At approximately 12:00 p.m. the male was observed as a passenger in a vehicle driving on Garfraxa Street East, Fergus. The CSCU initiated a traffic stop and as the vehicle was approached, the male fled from the vehicle on foot. The male was caught a few minutes later on Gartshore Street after a short foot pursuit. The male was found to be in possession of crack and marihuana. He was arrested and transported to local OPP operations centre.
At approximately 12:30 p.m. Wellington County OPP received a shop-lift report from Home Hardware on St David Street North, Fergus. They reported that on March 29, 2018, a male had been captured on surveillance video shoplifting a small kitchen scale. Police investigators immediately identified the suspect as the male currently in custody.
32-year-old Matthew Gary (Matt) HIRTLE of Fergus has been charged with Possession of Marihuana and Crack Cocaine, Resist a Peace Officer and Theft Under $5000. He was turned over to the custody of the Guelph Police Service. He is scheduled to appear in Guelph Criminal Court on May 1, 2018 in answer to the Wellington OPP charges.