 By Pepper Parr
July 23, 3015
BURLINGTON, ON
While picking up the morning paper I bumped into a Roseland resident who said he too had that disgusting piece of paper stuffed in his mailbox – and he, like many others wanted to know why nothing could be done.
For some reason everyone is saying they are powerless to do anything – that’s not true.
Like many, I’m not prepared to listen to someone’s free speech rights – this is not free speech – this comes close to hate mail – and there is something that can be done.
 There may well be security camera in the Roseland community that captured images of the people delivering the hate mail Regular Gazette readers will recall an article the Gazette ran recently about the police asking people who had outdoor video surveillance cameras if they would mind registering their location with the police.
The idea was to give police a list of places that had outdoor video cameras. The police plot all the locations on a map and when looking into crime in an area they know that there are specific homes that have outdoor video surveillance.
The police can then contact the owner of the equipment and ask if they can review the video. The owner of the video can always decline. The purpose from a police perspective was to be aware of a possible investigative resource. The program was called SCRAM
There is an opportunity here for the police to see what they have in the way of people in the Roseland community who have outdoor video surveillance equipment and who have registered it with the police and see what there is on those cameras.
Is there a chanced that good visuals of people going house to house putting papers in mailboxes?
This would be an interesting Fugitive Friday subject for the Burlington police unit to look into.
Original article on the hate mail stuffed in local mail boxes
Story on the police surveillance program
 By Pepper Parr
July 23, 2015 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Gazette has received two reports of an absolutely disgusting piece of paper being stuffed in mail boxes in the Roseland community.
This is not literature. This is not a political statement.
This is garbage; this is disgusting and belittles everyone in the community.
Someone created a document with graphics about Justin Trudeau and abortion.
There is nothing political about the document.
There is a sick mind out there – the people who did this need help.
Politics is the exchange of ideas and ideologies. Differences of opinion are healthy; they are necessary for am society to grow.
What was stuffed in mail boxes in Roseland yesterday is a society at its worst.
We are better than this. Someone should be ashamed.
We are not going to reproduce the document – not because it is about a Liberal and we do have a liberal bent of mine but because it is disgusting.
No one has the right to foist this kind of garbage on people.
Those who received a copy of the document should turn it over to the police.
By Staff
July 21, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Yesterday Halton Regional Police arrested and charged the following persons in relation to a robbery at the Esso Station at the intersection of Locus and Lakeshore Road.
Kyle Andrew BAKER (34 years) of Pearl Street in Burlington
• Charged with: Assault
Thomas James LUNDIE (36 years) of New Street in Burlington.
• Charged with: Robbery
 The words “On the Run” on the carpet at the entrance to the Esso station seem somewhat appropriate. Kyle Baker and Thomas Lundie were captured by a video camera. Do theses people not know that everyone now has a video cameras installed ? Both were released from custody on Promise to Appears and are scheduled to attend Milton court on August 19th 2015.
The robbery took place on July 12 at 2:50 am but the video was not released by the police until Monday July 20th.
The news report almost went viral. The Gazette received a number of direct calls from people who identified the suspects and the news piece we published ranked exceptionally high.
One caller said “Kyle was basically a decent guy”
The victim is a 21 year-old male visiting from Toronto./ He was attacked by those charged and robbed of his property.
Link to the original piece
By Staff
July 20, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
On July 12, 2015, at approximately 2:50 a.m. police were called to the Esso Gas Station located at Lakeshore Road and Locust Street in Burlington.
A 21 year-old male visiting from Toronto was attacked by three suspects and robbed of his property.
The three male suspects then fled on foot north on Locust Street. Two of the suspects were captured on video in the Esso station prior to the attack.
Robbery suspects caught on camera entering the Esso Station at Lakeshore and Locust where they are believed to have robbed a person. The first suspect is described as male white, approximately 30 years old, 5’5” tall with a heavy build. He was wearing a green t-shirt and green camo style cargo shorts, with a green camo Blue Jay baseball cap.
The second suspect is described as male white, approximately 30 years old, 5’10” tall with a medium build wearing a black t-shirt that had a “fix it up” logo.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Constable Erin Cooper of 3 District Criminal Investigation Bureau at (905) 825-4747 ext 2313 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com; or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Staff
July 17, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It is week thirteen of the Halton Regional Police Service “Fugitive Friday” initiative that reaches out to the public to help locate wanted persons and hold them accountable for their actions. The initiative is being run by the Burlington Offender Management Unit
There are numerous people who continue to evade the police and the court system and continue to live out in our communities while having a warrant for their arrest in place.
In this edition of Fugitive Fridays the police are searching for another couple, Ashley Ann JACOBS, 30 year, of Kahnawake, Quebec and Michael William CRICK, 31 years, of Hamilton, Ontario.
It is alleged:
 Ashley Jacobs is alleged to have assaulted a person In October 2013, Ashley JACOBS assaulted a female during an altercation in the City of Burlington, was arrested and released to attend Burlington Court in October 2014. JACOBS failed to appear and a warrant was issued for her arrest.
On two separate occasions in 2014, Michael CRICK attended the Mapleview Mall and the LCBO in the City of Burlington and stole several items. CRICK was arrested and released, scheduled to re-attend Milton court in October of 2014 which he failed to do and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
JACOBS is wanted by the Halton Regional Police Service for:
Assault – Adult female
Breach of Probation Order
Fail to Comply Undertaking
Fail to Attend Court
 Michael Crick CRICK is wanted by the Halton Regional Police Service for:
Theft Under $5000 x 2
Fail to Re-Attend Court
Fail to Comply with Probation
CRICK is also wanted by Hamilton Police Service for:
Fail to Comply Probation
Ashley JACOBS is described as 5’9”, 190 lbs with brown eyes and black hair. JACOBS has pierced ears and a tattoo on the back of her neck of an “Anarchy” symbol.
CRICK is described as 5’10”, 150 lbs with brown hair and eyes. CRICK has scars on his head and left thumb and also has tattoos “Delaware” on his left forearm and “Crook” on his right forearm.
Both parties are known to frequent Halton, Hamilton, Brantford and Six Nations. Ashley has strong ties to Kahnawake, Quebec and may be staying there.
Anyone with information on their whereabouts is asked to contact D/Cst Bulbrook – Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau – Offender Management Team at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2346 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
 By Pepper Parr
July 16, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
This article has been revised.
They are now off for six weeks – except for a three day municipal conference in August the magnificent seven that lead this city of ours will be taking it easy.
During their last city council they came close to making absolute fools of themselves over a code of conduct that we doubt will be followed – and if it is – it will be used to continue the petty games we saw at the Wednesday night council meeting.
After what the Mayor called a “sloppy, messy” debate council put back in a section of the Code that had been taken out at a meeting May 12th.
There was all kinds of fulminating about principles and professionalism and the need to work as a team which isn’t what your Council did Wednesday evening.
After some discussion between Councillors Craven and Sharman in the foyer outside the Council Chamber, Councillor Sharman returned to his seat, said a few words to Councillor Lancaster and the meeting began.
 Councillor Sharman tends to advise Councillor Lancaster on issues and directions. Councillor Lancaster introduced a motion, seconded by Councillor Sharman to replace wording in the Code of Conduct that had been taken out at that May 12th meeting.
No one had seen the motion until it was introduced – not the Clerk or the Mayor. All the chatter about professionalism and respect for each other got blown out the window.
There is precious little respect between Councillors Craven and Sharman for Councillor Meed Ward. Councillor Lancaster tends to go along with whatever Sharman suggests.
The issue was about whether or not a council members can involve themselves in matters that are outside their wards.
The Gazette will report on that part of the meeting in another piece.
The final vote was to refer the revised Code of Conduct to the city manager where it will get debated under the Governance section of the strategic Plan. One of the problems is that Strategic Plan meetings are for the most part not recorded or broadcast on the city’s web site.
 They now have a Code of Conduct – will it make any difference as to how they behave with one another? Don’t expect any changes – the behaviour for most of these men and women is deeply rooted. The Gazette will report on that part of the meeting in another piece.
Council goes into Closed Session to hear what city solicitor has to say.
Council went into a closed session to talk with the city solicitor about the latest move on the part of the ADI Development Group and the 28 storey project they want to build at Martha and Lakeshore Road. We have no idea what they talked about but the length of the closed session suggests that it was complex.
Earlier in the week the Ontario Municipal Board Commissioner who will be hearing the ADI application set a date for in March for the hearing.
The OMB meeting on Monday was, we are advised, a meeting to set out what the issues are and to narrow the focus – to determine just what it is ADI is asking the OMB to do.
 It is going to take some really fine lawyering to prevent this 28 storey structure from going up at the corner of Martha and Lakeshore. OMB hearing expected to take place in March of 2016 The Gazette was not able to attend that meeting but our colleague Joan Little, a former city and regional Councillor and a columnist for the Hamilton Spectator, said she didn’t hear any discussion that had to do with the narrowing of the issues.
These preliminary meetings are held to get some sense as to how much time the Municipal Board should allocate for the hearing. The one looks like it is going to be long and contentious.
ADI has hired Weir & Foulds, a Toronto firm with an exceptionally strong pedigree – these guys don’t take any prisoners. Based on the two occasions the Gazette listened to one of their lawyer’s the city has its work cut out for it.
New Court House for Provincial Offenses gets the go-ahead.
There was more – the construction of a court house on Palladium Way at Walkers Line is now a go. The intention is to have a court house built that will hear Provincial Offenses only.
 At least two more years for this Provincial Offenses Court House. Citizens in the Alton Community were concerned with people being tried for criminal offenses being in the area. Provincial Offenses are things like Highway Traffic Act cases; charges laid against people who have been charged with a provincial law offense. They aren’t going to see men and woman in handcuffs and shackles being led into that court house.
While the province is responsible for running the courts in which criminal cases are heard – the building that is being planned will not hear that kind of case
Council approved the issuing of a Request for proposals (RFP) to private sector investors/developers inviting them to purchase or lease the site the city owns and build the court house.
Transit issues got a very small mention – there are going to be talks with Oakville transit to look into what might be done to get some public transit to the court house.
City Manager James Ridge did say that there was some public education needed and that there would be public consultations in September.
The Court House to be built is expected to serve the needs of Region foe the next 25 years. The intention is to have the court house ready for occupancy in January of 2018.
By Staff
July 10, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
As part of a reaching out to the community for help program the |Halton Regional police are sharing the name and photograph of Marcin SYDOR 37 years old, of Hamilton (Ancaster), ON.
There are numerous people who continue to evade the police and the court system and continue to live out in our communities while having a warrant for their arrest in place.
Every Friday, the Burlington Offender Management Unit will share information on a wanted person in hopes that the public can assist in locating the individual.
 Marcin SYDOR 37 years old, of Hamilton (Ancaster), ON. In this edition of Fugitive Fridays the 3 District, Burlington Offender Management Unit is searching for Marcin SYDOR 37 years old, of Hamilton (Ancaster), ON.
It is alleged:
– In March of 2011 the accused entered a residential parking lot in the City of Burlington and stole a vehicle then continued to damage and steal from several vehicles that were parked overnight
– The accused stole various items including 4 tires and rims from a car, to GPS units and credit cards that were located inside vehicles
– The accused also broke into and stole items from several storage lockers
— The accused was arrested and attended Milton court on several occasions but failed to appear for court in February, 2012
He is wanted by Halton Regional Police Service for:
Theft over $5000
Theft under $5000 x 3
Break and Enter with Intent
Mischief under $5000 x 2
Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
Breach of Probation
Fail to Re-Attend Court
The accused is also wanted by Hamilton Police for:
Fraud over $5000
Fraud under $5000 x 7
Breach of Probation
Fail to Comply Recognizance x 2
Breach of Undertaking x 2
Possess – Use of Credit Card x 29
SYDOR is described as 5’8”, 150lbs, hazel eyes and dark brown hair. At the time of his arrest SYDOR had a pierced left ear and a small scar above his right eye. SYDOR was born in Poland and has ties to Burlington, Hamilton and the surrounding areas.
Anyone who may have witnessed this male or has information that would assist investigators in identifying and locating him are encouraged to contact D/C Bulbrook – Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau – Offender Management Team at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2346 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Staff
July 4, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Kind of tough when you can’t be sure that the things you left in your car while it was parked in the driveway overnight are going to be there when you get in the car the next morning. But that is what it has come to.
Halton Police constantly remind the public to lock their vehicles parked in the driveway and more importantly, to hide and secure valuables such as electronics from sight.
Sure – throw a blanket over the dash board – that will just encourage the thieves to beak the window. In their media release their police said: “Dash mounted GPS devices left in plain view resulted in vehicle windows being smashed to gain entry.”
 This is a scene far too many car owners are seeing when they walk out of the house to get into the car they had parked in the driveway. Overnight, between June 30 and July 1, 2015, several vehicle entries occurred in the Region with Oakville being hit the hardest. Thieves were checking for unlocked car doors looking for cash, GPS devices and other electronics.
The police continue to investigate vehicle entries and ask the public to make extra efforts to keep valuables safe and hidden from sight. If possible, take any valuable electronics into the home at night so not to attract wandering thieves.
Catching these thieves is not always easy – the police usually don’t have much to go on. It was that fact that brought about SCRAM.
Halton Regional Police have a Security Camera Registration and Monitoring program, ( S.C.R.A.M) a community based crime prevention opportunity and investigative tool that enlists the help of Halton residents.
S.C.R.A.M. enables community members to voluntarily identify and register their residential video surveillance equipment through a simple, secure, confidential, online form located on the Halton Regional Police Service website. https://bit.ly/11B4FNE
One camera is usually enough for decent home surveillance. A number of people wonder just what giving police access to your home security means. You are not giving the police any access when you register – what you are doing in letting the police know that you have an electronic security system. If there is a crime near your home the police will know that you have a security camera and may ask if they can look at what was captured by your camera.
You are under no obligation to hand over anything.
When investigating a crime the police usually end up going door to door hoping that someone may have seen something – if they knew where the security cameras were they could narrow down the search area.
Door to door can be a time-consuming endeavour as it may include a 360 radius around the crime scene. Armed with the knowledge of locations of security cameras, police can better focus their investigation. This has proven helpful in many investigations where suspect vehicles or suspects themselves have been picked up on third-party camera systems. Knowing a “direction” enables investigators to focus their attention on that particular path, even at considerable distances, where perhaps another camera may be located.
Investigators have been surprised by the number of residents choosing to protect their homes and property with security cameras. Canvassing a neighbourhood is a time-consuming endeavour and the program will only be as good as the data inputted. That’s why the police want your help.
The objective of the program is primarily to build a database of camera locations in our community. Adding a security camera to your property is an excellent crime prevention tool, and is a way for you to protect your OWN property. Allowing the police quick access to potential recordings of crimes in progress is a way for citizens to help make our communities safer for everyone.
 The police are No. We are asking the public to take an active part in helping make your community safer. Neighbourhood Watch was a recognized crime prevention initiative many years ago; police asked neighbours to look out for neighbours. This is the technological extension of that.
If you think this might be something you want to take part in – click on this link.
By Staff
July 3, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
On June 15, 2015, the owners of a Tim Hortons franchise in the City of Burlington learned there was a lot of money that didn’t make it to the bank. The police describe the situation this way: “extensive amount of deposits remained outstanding” as the the company attempted to complete the year-end financial statements.
The calculated loss from these outstanding balances between January 2014 until May 2015 was just over $200,000.00.
 There was a big hole in the deposit donut at a Tim Hortons franchise in Burlington An employee, responsible for the Tim Hortons bank deposits was identified and the owners reported the theft to Halton Police on June 29, 2015.
On June 30, 2015, the accused was arrested.
Accused:
Mariel ABEJERO, 42 years, from Hamilton has been charged with:
Theft Over $5000
The accused is schedule to attend court on July 29, 2015.
By Staff
July 3, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It is week 11 of Halton Regional Police Service, Burlington station reaching out to the public to help locate wanted persons and hold them accountable for their actions, better known as “Fugitive Friday”
There are numerous people who continue to evade the police and the court system and continue to live out in our communities while having a warrant for their arrest in place.
The Burlington Offender Management Unit will shares information on a wanted person in hopes that the public can assist in locating the individual.
In this edition of Fugitive Fridays the 3 District, Burlington Offender Management Unit is searching for Corey RODGERS 29 years old, of Hamilton, ON.
 Corey RODGERS 29 years of age. It is alleged:
– In November of 2011 the accused was in Mapleview Mall in the City of Burlington when he saw a male and female he knew inside a store
– without provocation, the accused walked into the store and assaulted both the female and male by punching them in the head
– The accused was arrested at the scene and released on a Promise to Appear
– The accused was to attend Milton court in May of 2012 which he failed to do and a warrant was issued for his arrest
He is wanted by Halton Regional Police Service for:
Assault with a Weapon
Assault – Adult Female
Fail to Attend Court
RODGERS is described as 6’2”, 250lbs, hazel eyes and brown hair and spacer earrings. RODGERS has several tattoos; Right arm – full sleeve, right hand – “fast”, left hand – “live” and left forearm – “Nautical Star”. RODGERS has ties to Burlington, Hamilton and Alberta
Anyone who may have witnessed this male or has information that would assist investigators in identifying him are encouraged to contact D/C Bulbrook – Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau – Offender Management Team at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2346 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Pepper Parr
June 30th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The brazen theft of cell phones from people walking the streets of Burlington has resulted in the Halton Regional police issuing an advisory.
 Superintendent Al Albano, Commander District 3 – Burlington advised the public on preventing cell phone robberies. “The Halton Regional Police is investigating the recent cell phone robberies; identifying the suspects has been made a priority. Our communities’ safety and security is of utmost importance and we encourage anyone with information on these incidents and/or the suspects described to contact investigators or Crime Stoppers to assist in preventing further incidents” said Superintendent Al Albano, Commander 3 District
The police added: “The public are encouraged to utilize security features and apps on their phones such as “Find My Phone” and to provide the details to police who will continue efforts to locate any stolen phones.
Be sure to alert the police – they are there to help you.
Earlier in the day the Gazette reported cell phone robberies in the south east part of the city. That report said a cell phone robbery took place at 7:15 PM, when two youths were walking north on Burloak Drive, south of Spruce Avenue and were confronted by a male who demanded a cell phone be turned over of they would be shot. The suspect was given a cell phone and fled the area on foot.
Later that evening, at approximately 9:45 PM, another youth was walking south on Hampton Heath Road near Lakeshore Road when a black vehicle with three males stopped alongside the youth. Two of the males got out of the vehicle and asked to use the youths’ cell phone. After being told no, the two males began to forcefully search the youth’s pockets, taking an I-Phone, returned to the vehicle and fled the area.
 Being forced to turn over a cell phone at gun point is a terrifying experience In the first incident, the suspect is described as a black male in his early 20’s, 6’0 tall, medium build, corn row style hair wearing a black hoodie and long cream coloured pants.
In the second incident, the suspects are all described as black males 18-20 years of age wearing dark clothing.
The police are vigorously investigating these two crimes.
By Staff
June 30th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
With the shooting death of an 18 year old in London Ontario over a cell phone – the theft of cell phones take on a heightened interest.
On Monday June 29th 2015 two street robberies occurred 2½ hours apart in southeast Burlington where cell phones were taken forcefully from their owners.
At approximately 7:15 PM, two youths were walking north on Burloak Drive, south of Spruce Avenue when they were confronted by a male who demanded a cell phone be turned over of they would be shot. The suspect was given a cell phone and fled the area on foot.
 Cell phones are now seen as choice items for thieves – be careful At approximately 9:45 PM, another youth was walking south on Hampton Heath Road near Lakeshore Road when a black vehicle with three males stopped alongside the youth. Two of the males got out of the vehicle and asked to use the youths’ cell phone. After being told no, the two males began to forcefully search the youth’s pockets, taking an I-Phone, returned to the vehicle and fled the area.
In the first incident, the suspect is described as a black male in his early 20’s, 6’0 tall, medium build, corn row style hair wearing a black hoodie and long cream coloured pants.
In the second incident, the suspects are all described as black males 18-20 years of age wearing dark clothing.
Anyone who may have witnessed these incidents or have information that will assist investigators in identifying these suspects are asked to contact the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2315 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com; or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
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By Staff
June 26, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It is week 10 for the Halton Regional Police “Fugitive Friday” initiative that has then asking for the public to help locate wanted persons and hold them accountable for their actions.
There are numerous people who continue to evade the police and the court system and continue to live out in our communities while having a warrant for their arrest in place.
The Burlington Offender Management Unit shares information on a wanted person in hopes that the public can assist in locating the individual.
 Brennan BOWLEY 21 years old, of Hamilton, ON, is wanted by both the Hamilton and Halton Regional Police This week the Friday fugitive is Brennan BOWLEY 21 years old, of Hamilton, ON.
It is alleged:
In December of 2013 the accused committed a break and enter at a Burlington residence while the homeowners were present where several electronics, personal identification, house keys and car keys were stolen
Two people inside the home attempted to prevent the accused from escaping at which time the accused swerved at them attempting to hit them with his vehicle.
The accused was later tracked to a Hamilton address and was arrested in possession of the stolen items from the house
The accused was released on a Recognizance and attended court in August 2014. He was to re-attend Milton court in May of 2015 which he failed to do and a warrant was issued for his arrest
He is now wanted by Halton Regional Police Service for:
Break and Enter Place
Dangerous Operation Motor Vehicle
Fail to Re-Attend Court
The accused is also wanted by Hamilton Police Service for:
Fail to Comply Recognizance x 12
Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
Possession under $5000 x 3
Possession over $5000
Fail to Comply Probation x 2
Break and Enter Commit x 2
BOWLEY is described as 5’6”, 145lbs, blue eyes and brown hair.
Anyone who may have witnessed this male or has information that would assist investigators in identifying him are encouraged to contact D/C Bulbrook – Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau – Offender Management Team at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2346 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Staff
June 22, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Two suspects are being sought after walking out of ECS Coffee with a large coffee maker.
On Saturday June 6, 2015, at approximately 4:30pm, a male and female attended ECS Coffee at 1515 North Service Road in the City of Burlington. The male and female went to the front corner of the store where the commercial grade coffee makers were on display.
 He was the decoy – they got away with a coffee maker worth $600 retail  She was the duck – they got away with a coffee maker worth $600 retail As the female suspect selected a coffee machine, the male suspect faced the cashier and shielded the female with his body. The female was able to exit the store with the stolen merchandise and both suspects fled.
They got away with a Real Cup Brewer RC400 valued at $600.00.
Male suspect – heavy build, approximately 6 feet tall, light complexion, green baseball hat, dark sunglasses, blue shirt and jean shorts
Female suspect – heavy build, approximately 5 feet tall, light complexion, light blue shirt, black pants, black hair
Anyone with information is asked to contact Det Vince Couce of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905 825-4747 ext 2307 or anyone with information on this or any other crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
 By Pepper
June 22, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Sometime later today Halton Regional Police are expected to announce the name of the new dog that will join the K9 unit of the police service. A Burlington public school is one of the finalists.
Last week the Gazette visited with an officer at the K9 unit to learn about how the dogs are chosen, how they are trained, what they eat and where they live.
We met with Constable Matt Lawless who came to police work a little later in life than most police recruits.
 Halton Regional Police dog handler Matt Lawless points to pictures of dogs in the K9 unit – storm is the dog he handles. He served in Oakville as a uniformed patrol office and after six years of driving around in a police car he leaned of an opportunity to work with dogs and applied.
“It’s a tough competition but they chose me and I’ve been working with storm ever since.”
“A lot of people think we work with the dogs and tell them what to do – that’s not the way it works out” explained Cst. Lawless. “We are actually chauffeurs for the dog. We take them to work with us in the morning and take them home at night. The dog is like one of the kids that you have to drove everywhere – instead of taking kids to hockey, I take the Storm wherever he is needed.”
 Storm – a part of the Police |Service K9 unit. When he has to move – he can move very very quickly. Where do the dogs come from we asked. “The best dogs are bred in Germany but we don’t often get dogs direct from Germany. We tend to work with kennels in both Canada and the United States. We have people who work with us selecting the dogs we need.
There are now six dogs in the K9 unit – Cst. Lawless would like to see more. “They are very effective in police work – each dog tends to have its own strengths – some are good with explosives; others are good with drugs and others are very good tracking down or finding a person.
Cst. Lawless is assigned a car that has been modified for the dog. The day we met it was hot, very hot and when it came time to do some work with Storm I thought we were heading out to a kennel on the police property but we walked towards the police cruiser. “Am I going to ride to the kennel with you I asked.“
“No” responded Cst. Lawless. “Storm is in the cruiser.”
In the cruiser I thought – its roasting outside – I thought it was illegal to leave a pet in a vehicle. And it is – but Storm doesn’t live in any run of the mill police cruiser. The vehicle is outfitted with its own air conditioning and the engine of the car is never shut off when the dog is in the cruiser.
There is a complex set of measuring devices that know when to turn on the air conditioning on and when to turn on the fans that circulate the air so that the dog has a combination of fresh air that is conditioned.
Cst. Lawless reaches into the front of the vehicle and picks up the lead, opens the back door and snaps the lead on the dog’s collar and off they go. While Storm can certainly run, he tends to walk in a zig zag path with his nose pressed into the ground. This dog can sniff.
He paid no attention to me other than to sniff my hand when I held it out – after that it was as if I didn’t exist. The dog kept his eyes on Cst. Lawless watching for his hand movements and listening to his words.
The selection of a dog is an arduous process. Once selected a dog goes through a four month, 40 hours a week training program.
After the training the dog is tested. “Halton has worked with different groups on the certifying of our dogs. The RCMP used to do a lot of that work – but now we are working with trainers in the Niagara Region.”
 The biggest thing Storm has going for him is his nose. He runs in a zig zag pattern with his nose almost glued to the ground. The training isn’t limited to just the policed dogs – the dog handlers take part in ongoing training and trade notes with other police services across the country.
In Halton the police dog handlers meet once a week to work together and learn from each other. At the same time there is always a cruiser on the road with a member of the K9 unit in the back of the car. “Storm can tell there is something up just from the sound of the voices coming over the police radio. When I rev up the engine and turn on the police siren Storm begins to pace around in his space in the back of the cruiser – he knows he is going to be put to work very, very soon.
“Not all dogs make it” explained Lawless. Some turn out not to be cut out for this kind of work and new homes are found for them.
And where is home for a police dog I asked. The dog lives with the family. The police provide a unit that is kept outdoors for the dog to live in. When the dog retires he stays with the family.us. Storm is a member of the family.
Dogs like Storm will work for a number of years – the length of time they serve can range from four years to ten years.
The thinking in the K9 unit is that Storm has about another year before he gets retired from the K9 unit and Cst. Lawless returns to normal police work.
 Everything Storm does is the result of a command – given either by hand or by voice from his handler Cst. Matt Lawless What will Cst. Lawless do next – he’s not sure. “I might write the examinations to qualify as a sergeant.”
Storm will live the good life of a retired police dog – Cst. Lawless didn’t say if he would get more than the one meal a day he gets now.
 By Staff
June 19, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It is week 9 for our “Fugitive Friday” initiative whereby the Halton Regional Police, Burlington station is reaching out to the public to help locate wanted persons and hold them accountable for their actions.
There are numerous people who continue to evade the police and the court system and continue to live out in our communities while having a warrant for their arrest in place.
Every Friday, the Burlington Offender Management Unit will share information on a wanted person in hopes that the public can assist in locating the individual.
We will share “Fugitive Friday” information on our website and via social media through Twitter @HRPSBurl and @HaltonPolice.
 Bryon Jason BULLIED 28 years old, of Burlington, ON. In this edition of Fugitive Fridays the 3 District, Burlington Offender Management Unit is searching for Bryon Jason BULLIED 28 years old, of Burlington, ON.
It is alleged:
• In December of 2013 the accused stole a debit card from an elderly male’s residence. He then used the card to make $1,000 worth of fraudulent purchases.
• The accused was identified through video during the incidents and a warrant was issued for his arrest
• The accused has so far managed to evade capture and his whereabouts unknown
He is wanted by Halton Regional Police Service for:
Theft under $5000 x 3
Unauthorized use of a Credit Card x 3
Fail to Comply with Undertaking
Breach of Probation Order
The accused is also wanted by Ottawa Police Service for:
Possession of a Substance x 2
Breach of Probation x 2
Fail to Appear
Bryon BULLIED is described as 5’9”, 200lbs, blue eyes and brown hair. BULLIED’S weight has fluctuated up to 250lbs in the past. BULLIED has tattoos (Left forearm – “Praying Hands”, Right forearm – “Cross”. Bullied has ties to Halton, Toronto and the Ottawa areas.
Anyone who may have witnessed this male or has information that would assist nvestigators in identifying him are encouraged to contact D/C Bulbrook – Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau – Offender Management Team at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2346 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Staff
June 18, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It apparently wasn’t comfortable enough for the six foot male who held up the receptionist at the Comfort Inn on the south Service Road.
The Halton Regional Police are gathering information on a hotel robbery that occurred late Wednesday night at the Comfort Inn Hotel, located at 3290 South Service Rd, in the City of Burlington.
The preliminary investigation points to an unarmed suspect entering the hotel lobby at 11:50 pm and demanding money from the clerk. The suspect fled the hotel on foot with an undisclosed amount of money.
Police searched the area for the suspect with negative results. The clerk at the hotel was not injured in the incident.
The suspect is described at Male, white approximately 6 foot, medium build, wearing all black clothing.
During the robbery the suspect concealed his identity.
Anyone who may have witnessed the suspect in the area or has information that would assist in this investigation is asked to call the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 ext 2315 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the internet at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com.
 By Staff
June 12, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It is week #8 for our “Fugitive Friday” initiative whereby the Halton Regional Police, Burlington station is reaching out to the public to help locate wanted persons and hold them accountable for their actions.
There are numerous people who continue to evade the police and the court system and continue to live out in our communities while having a warrant for their arrest in place.
Every Friday, the Burlington Offender Management Unit will share information on a wanted person in hopes that the public can assist in locating the individual.
We will share “Fugitive Friday” information on our website and via social media through Twitter @HRPSBurl and @HaltonPolice.
In this edition of Fugitive Fridays the 3 District, Burlington Offender Management Unit is searching for another couple, Sean KELLY 34 years old and Jessica HAYNES 28 years old of Hamilton, ON.
It is alleged:
• In January of 2015 the accused parties committed numerous Frauds and Thefts in Burlington
• The accused parties were located and arrested in possession of stolen property while trying to commit a Fraud and Theft at a store in Burlington
• Upon investigation KELLY provided police a false name in an attempt to hide his identity
• Haynes was released from 3 District on an appearance notice and KELLY was held for bail and appeared in court at which time they were both released on separate appearance notices with court imposed conditions
• The accused parties were required to attend court in February 2015 in Milton which they failed to do and warrants were issued for their arrest
• KELLY has 15 convictions for various offences including Robbery, Thefts, Impersonation and Fail to Comply. HAYNES has 1 prior conviction for Assault.
 Sean Kelly, 34 KELLY is now wanted by Halton Regional Police Service for:
• Fraud Under $5000
• Theft Under $5000
• Personation with Intent
• Fail to Re-Attend Court
 Jessica Haynes, 28 HAYNES is now wanted by Halton Regional Police Service for:
• Fraud Under $5000
• Theft Under $5000
• Fail to Attend Court
• Fail to Comply Undertaking
Sean KELLY is described as 5’9”, 150 lbs with blue eyes and brown hair. KELLY also has Tattoos left arm – “Celtic band”, left elbow – “Sun”, Right elbow – “Make your own luck with a star”.
Jessica HAYNES is described as 5’2”, 120lbs with brown hair and green eyes. Jessica has a pierced tongue and a Tattoo right forearm – “Hourglass”. Both parties are known to frequent Halton, Hamilton, and the surrounding areas. KELLY also has ties to New Brunswick.
Anyone who may have witnessed this male or has information that would assist investigators in identifying him are encouraged to contact D/Cst Bulbrook – Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau – Offender Management Team at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2346 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Staff
June 12, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Detectives from the Halton Regional Police Service Child Abuse and Sexual Assault (CASA) Unit have charged a Burlington man in connection with historical sexual assaults stemming back to 1973.
In a media release police said “the accused male has ties to both the Halton and Hamilton regions as he has been actively involved in religious groups, while also practicing as a certified reflex therapist for the last 18 years in Burlington.”
Arrested and charged with two counts of Indecent Assault on a Female, and one count of Sexual Assault is David Allison HOLT, age 68, of Burlington, Ontario.
Mr. Holt is due to appear in Milton Court on the 8th of July, 2015.
Police encourage anyone with information related to this investigation to contact Detective Constable Alanda Prescod at the Halton Regional Police, CASA Bureau – 905 825 4747 Ext 8977 or alanda.prescod@haltonpolice.ca or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Staff
June 10, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
A Burlington elementary school is one of three finalists in the contest to name the newest recruit into the Halton Regional Police K9 unit.
Clarksdale Public School, Burlington has decided the dog should be named Marshall.
 T he students at Clarksdale Public School want this little pooch to be called Marshall – and if enough people vote for that name – that is what the dog will be called. The other two finalists are P.L.Robertson Public School, Milton who chose the name Ranger and Brookville Public School, Campbellville who chose the name Arrow
The Regional police received emails from teachers and school officials and report being very impressed with the efforts that were put into choosing the right name. One school in Milton, as they were working on graphing units in math, chose two names, and conducted a survey of several classrooms to give every student a voice. They tallied up the votes and are completing graphs to show the results.
Several name suggestions were sent in via Twitter and from parents wanting to share their children’s creative ideas.
Now, it’s time for the community to vote! Follow our @HaltonPolice or @HRPSK9 Twitter accounts and vote for your new K9 name by Tweeting or Retweeting your favorite hashtag.
#HaltonPSDArrow
#HaltonPSDMarshall
#HaltonPSDRanger
Non-Tweeters can also vote online at https://www.haltonpolice.ca/SpecializedUnits/ESU/Canine/Pages/K9name.aspx
The name with the most hashtags and online votes will be the winner!
The winning name and school will be announced on Monday June 22, 2015
 Cst Mitchell with police dog Juno being trained. Juno has since been retired.
The new Police Service Dog will join PSD Tracker, PSD Storm, PSD Parker, PSD Bishop and PSD Nero in their efforts to protect and serve the communities in Halton.
The retired Police Service Dogs are: Chase, Kingston, Sniper, Justice, Honour, Gage, Kruz, Baron, Titan, Juno and Valour.
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