 By Max Bowder: Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
August 18TH, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The biggest drug bust the Regional Police have ever handled resulted in a $5 million dollar haul and 12 arrests.
It all started with a single tip of one individual and grew to involve police from Burlington, Hamilton, Oakville, London, Mississauga , Toronto, Markham, Woodbridge, Caledon and Etobicoke.
Code named Project Icarus, after the sun god from Greek mythology, the investigation took place over a 10-month period starting in October 2020 and resulted in what the Halton police are calling the largest drug seizure in Halton Regional Police history.
 The size of the drugs, weapons, and cash haul “I’m extremely proud of the work done by all officers involved. Our members continue to demonstrate that if you choose to participate in organized crime in our region threatening safety of our community, we will aggressively target you and arrest you,” said Deputy Chief Hill.
Halton regional police service investigators executed warrants at 14 residential locations and 2 business locations all around the GTA on July 21, July 29th and August 12th resulting in 12 arrests and dozens of kilograms of cocaine, ecstasy, other Illicit substances, weapons and vehicles being seized.
 A gun with bags of bullets – not toys. “Though hard work and collaboration our dedicated officers turned a small investigation of a single suspect into a significant project. Project Icarus has removed drugs, guns and criminals from the streets of not just Halton but the entire GTA,” said Halton regional police service Deputy Chief Jeff Hill.
Several drugs, weapons were seized which include:
• 27 kilograms of cocaine.
• 15 kilograms of ecstasy.
• Over 1000 kilograms of cannabis.
• One .40 caliber Glock handgun.
• One 9mm Glock handgun.
• Prohibited magazines.
• One 12-gauge shotgun and 1,100 rounds of ammunition.
• More than $100,000 in currency, jewelry and motor vehicles
• Illicit opioids (0.5 kg fentanyl, oxycodone and morphine)
Police say the amount of drugs seized add up to an estimated street value of over $5 million.
 Inspector Dave Constantini “I think it doesn’t just impact our region I think it impacts GTA wide,” said Inspector Dave Constantini.
The following people have been arrested and charged:
 Cash and a counting machine • James Ferrier (27) of Toronto
• Terrance Hancock (45) of London
• John Byard (40) of Mississauga
• Trevor Harwood (42) of Etobicoke
• Jile Cai (34) of Etobicoke
• Anthony Mason (39) of Hamilton
• Brian Aguiar (32) of Burlington
• Ana Antunes (30) of Burlington
• Crystal Giang (30) of North York
• Thanh Ma (31) of Newmarket
All accused are facing various drug, firearm and cannabis offences.
 By Staff
August 17th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
In 2021, the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) reported a significant increase in both relay and re-programming thefts of high-end vehicles with keyless entry and push-start technology.
Since January 2021, there have been a total of 52 vehicles stolen from Milton and Halton Hills (Oakville and Burlington will get targeted soon enough) that have been attributed to the use of relay or reprogramming technology.
In the majority of these thefts, the vehicles are being stolen from residents’ driveways during the overnight hours, with most thefts typically taking less than one minute.
 Stunning just ho much technology the thieves have access to – they get it online, pay a hefty price and see that price as a good investment. What is a relay theft?
Thieves will use technology called a “relay device” to find a key fob signal from inside a residence. The thieves do not need to enter the residence in order to find the signal.
The signal is then amplified which allows the thieves to unlock, start and steal the vehicle. The vehicle owner discovers their vehicle has been stolen, even though they are in possession of their key fob.
What is a reprogramming theft?
Thieves will first gain entry to the vehicle by mechanical means (breaking in by using a tool). They will then access the vehicle’s diagnostic port and reprogram a blank key fob which allows them to start and steal the vehicle.
The HRPS is applying significant resources to investigate these occurrences. In spite of recent arrests, it is important that the community be aware of this trend and takes preventative steps to ensure their property remains secure from theft.
Special attention should be given by those members of the community who own the specific vehicles described here as they are most commonly being targeted for theft.
 These carts once stolen leave the country in days – look for them in the war torn countries of the Middle East. The terrorists love the SUV’s and the pickup trucks. What types of vehicles are being targeted?
While many different makes and models of high-end vehicles are being targeted, over 55% of these thefts involve Lexus RX350, Toyota SUV and Honda CR-V models.
What can residents do to protect themselves from these types of thefts?
There are measures that residents can take to mitigate the risk of having their vehicle(s) stolen:
• Park your vehicle in a locked and secured garage
• Install an on-board diagnostic blocker
• Install a steering wheel lock device
• Combine the above measures with an aftermarket GPS tracking device
• Place vehicle key fob inside a radio frequency shielding bag when not in use
• Lock your vehicle at all times
• Equip your vehicle with an alarm
• Install home security cameras that capture the exterior of your residence, including the driveway
• Take steps to conceal the Vehicle Identification Number (V.I.N.)
Additional tips and information, including an educational video, can be found on our website: https://www.haltonpolice.ca/en/staying-safe/vehicle-theft-prevention-tips.aspx
 Crime prevention is a shared responsibility. Call 911 if you witness a crime in progress. Call 905-825-4777 if you see suspicious vehicles or persons in your neighbourhood.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca
By Staff
August 9th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
It was an upsetting weekend for Burlington Humane Society.
Both the animal shelter at 740 Griffith Court, and The Animal Aid Attic, its second-hand store at 479 John Street, suffered setbacks.
 Property was stolen at the Griffith Court location where a lone thief stole a heavy-duty utility wagon. The wagon is valued at over $200.00. Surveillance cameras caught images of the thief as he stole the wagon.
“It was obvious that the thief knew what he wanted. He rode his bicycle directly to the shelter’s back patio where the wagon was kept,” said Doug Shirton, Burlington Humane Executive Director.
“He immediately took the wagon and rode off. The whole incident took about three minutes.”
The wagon is an essential piece of equipment that is used daily to move items to and from a back storage shed as well as carting away animal waste to a back dumpster. “We hope this theft is not the start of a campaign of theft from our premises.”
 The second-hand store, The Attic, was vandalized late Saturday night or early Sunday morning. Police notified Burlington Humane early Sunday morning that someone threw a rock through the front window. Clean up began immediately and through Sunday morning.
Shirton later learned that there were several businesses vandalized by a rowdy group that night. The huge plate glass window will cost several hundreds of dollars to replace.
 By Mark Gillies
January 24th, 2015
 Lee J Smith, former Burlington Chief of Police BURLINGTON, ON
Lee J Smith was a “Man’s Man”, because of his father
Burlington residents respected and knew their stern but friendly Chief only as Lee J Smith, but that was not the name he was given at birth. The actual birth name was Lein Joseph Schmidt. No one ever knew that Lee was of German descent when he lived and worked in Burlington.
 Lee Smith’s father was Erdmann Karl Schmidt who was born in Prussia in 1852. In 1858 the family emigrated from Prussia for a new life in Canada. Lein was the son of Erdmann Karl Schmidt who was born in Prussia in 1852, and in 1858 Erdmann Schmidt and his family emigrated Prussia destined for a new life in Canada. The Schmidt family started life farming in the London, Ontario area. Lein’s mother was Elizabeth Talbot. Elizabeth was born in Upper Canada in 1846. Erdmann and Elizabeth married in London, Ontario on July 20, 1880. The marriage produced 4 daughters, Helen, Annie, Katharine, Florence and 2 sons, Adolphus and Lein. All were born between 1881 and 1892.
 Erdmann Schmidt, his second wife Elizabeth Smither and children pose all dressed up in their Sunday best outfits. Elizabeth was a very special mother. For an unknown reason she had no arms from just above her elbows. Their sons Adolphus is on the left, and Lee is on the right, both standing in the back, while the twins Annie and Katharine sit on either side of Florence. Baby Stephen was born in 1895. This was the couple’s first child. In 1894 their mother Elizabeth died on January 7th from pneumonia. Erdmann who quickly needed a step mother for his young children remarried a few months later on July 11th 1894 to Elizabeth Smither, a young lady at 26, already a widow, who was born in England. The new couple then started another family, with 3 daughters, Jessie, Nellie, Ethel, and 4 sons, Stephen, William, George & Edmund all born between 1895 and 1909.
 Erdmann Schmidt, Lee’s father, married a second time, and 6 of their children are in this 1903 photograph: (L-R), William & Stephen are in the back, baby George is on the lap of Florence, the youngest daughter from Erdmann’s first marriage, Mary is in the striped dress, and (L-R), are Nellie and Jessie in front. The other children had not yet been born. What’s really amazing about this new wife for Erdmann, was she had no arms from just above her elbows and all the way down to where her hands would have been. Yet, this remarkable woman functioned well enough to mother all those children. Just incredible. Erdmann Schmidt was a devoted family man, religious, and a hard working farmer, who was responsibly raising his 13 children. Erdmann was strict, ruled with an iron fist, but was fair and just, which helped shape the straight forward, no nonsense, tough as nails, authoritative characteristics exuded by Lee J Smith his entire life. To better assimilate into the community, Erdmann eventually changed the family surname Schmidt to Smith, and he also changed his own given name to Edmund. The children with the exception of the two boys Adolphus and Lein were given more English sounding names at birth.
Two records that are not likely to ever be broken.
Chief Lee Joseph Smith holds the distinction of two records that will never be broken in Burlington. The first unbreakable record was Lee Smith ended his career as Burlington’s longest serving Police Chief, a total of 40 years from 1916 through to his retirement in 1956. The second unbreakable record was Chief Smith served faithfully under the first 18 of Burlington’s 28 Mayors’ administrations. This is an amazing achievement, accomplished by no one else in Canada. Anyone would need phenomenal people skills to deal with all of those diverse personalities over a period of 40 years.
The Mayors Maxwell Smith 1915-1916, Fred Ghent 1917, Charles Coleman 1918, Dr. Thomas Peart 1919, Maxwell Smith 1919, Hughes Cleaver 1920, John J. Hobson 1921-1922, Elgin Harris 1923-1924, James Allen 1925 – 1928, E. Holtby 1929 – 1930, Lloyd Dingle 1931 – 1932, J. W. Ryckman 1933, F. W. Watson 1934-1935, George Harris 1936-1939, J.G. Blair 1940-1943, E. R. Leather 1946-1947, N.R. Craig 1948-1950, & E.W. Smith 1951-1956 all had the pleasure to work with Lee Joseph Smith, their outstanding Burlington Police Chief.
An unfortunate reality
What’s really unfortunate, is this great man has received virtually no recognition for his accomplishments. Here was a man who successfully transitioned the Burlington Police Department, starting in an era when the horse & buggy was still the main form of transportation, and served faithfully right up to 1956, just one year shy of the world launching a rocket off into space. The Chief always adapted to new methods of management, and was a firm believer in embracing all new technologies as they emerged. From buggy whips to rockets, what more could you ask from someone? Chief Lee Smith was undoubtedly, one of Burlington’s greatest leaders. It could also be argued that Lee J Smith just might be Canada’s greatest Police Chief during the 20th century.
 The Lee J. smith headstone in Burlington’s historic Greenwood Cemetery where he rests beside his wife Alma Edith McKenzie. Farewell Chief
On November 5, 1973 Lee Joseph Smith, in his 89th year, quietly passed away in lonely solitude at the Halton Centennial Manor in Milton, and after a 44 year separation, the Chief was buried alongside his beloved wife Alma Edith McKenzie in Burlington’s historic Greenwood Cemetery. Sadly, this was a man who must have known deep inside; he had been completely forgotten by the community he so dearly loved. Chief Lee Smith had always truly believed that his Burlington was the best place to live in Canada. You didn’t fail us Chief. We failed you.
My opinion
I think as a community we have totally forgotten this man. There is more work to do to better preserve the colourful history and stories of our heritage and Lee Smith. This is a sad injustice bestowed upon a local man who championed Burlington’s justice for over 40 years. His efforts to have us all live in a safe community have endured to this day.
 The proposed new Halton Regional Police Services headquarters on Bronte Road, should be named The Lee J Smith Building, Canada’s greatest Police Chief of the 20th century. My recommendation to recognize The Chief
Here’s my recommendation for what I think would be appropriate for the man who laid the groundwork for what was to become our highly respected Halton Regional Police Services. I think it would be fair to state that Chief Smith was for the most part, the “Founding Father” of modern policing in Halton. Could we then not recommend that the new proposed Headquarters for the Halton Regional Police Services be named to respectfully honour this once in a lifetime great Police Chief? A bronze statue of Chief Smith proudly standing at attention right at the entrance would be a great addition to complement the building’s name.
Part 1 of a 4 part feature
Part 2 of a 4 part feature
Part 3 of a 4 part feature.
By Mark Gillies
January 18, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington is using the month of August to celebrate local history. Sometime ago the Gazette published a series of articles by Mark Gillies, a lifelong Burlingtonian. It is appropriate to re-publish the stories about the people who built this city.
A Burlington History Maker, Like No Other
His name was Lee Joseph Smith, another outstanding citizen of Burlington, and just like Spencer Smith, this individual also made a huge impact on why so many of us choose to live here. What did this man do? As in so many cases with Burlington’s history makers, they have not been properly recognized.
 Chief Lee Joseph Smith, (1885 – 1973). Was this man Canada’s greatest Police Chief ever? Most residents will not know his name, or at best, barely remember who Lee Smith was, but by the time you finish reading this four part feature, you will better understand this man’s contributions to the safety and protection of our local society. This is for you Lee. This is your story.
Farm Boy joins The Northwest Mounted Police
Lee was born July 26, 1885 in London, Ontario, but spent most of his boyhood years growing up on the family’s market garden farm in Saltfleet Township, which is the Stoney Creek area of Wentworth County. When Lee was 21 years of age, in 1906, he made a decision that was about to change his life, and not knowing it at the time, this same decision would eventually affect the residents of Burlington, even to this day.
 Here is a typical Northwest Mounted Police officer in full dress uniform around 1911. Lee would have worn a “Mountie” uniform exactly like this one, and then climb onto his horse and head out on patrol. His decision was to serve the public in law enforcement. Lee joined the Northwest Mounted Police, where they promptly sent him out west, where Lee patrolled on horseback throughout the wild desolate prairie lands of Alberta, only 1 year into becoming a province.
Later, Lee transferred to the Brandon, Manitoba detachment as a result of his outstanding service, having been promoted to detective. When Police Commissioner Aylesworth Bowen Perry introduced annual training classes, Lee was selected as one of his first instructors. No doubt about it, Lee Smith was a good as it gets; a rising star who undoubtedly was destined to one day become a future Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Officer Smith while out west had some skirmishes and even took a few bullets, fired upon by local rowdies, but the young man survived, and continued to serve faithfully, and grow as a highly respected police officer.
Boy meets Girl
While posted to the Brandon detachment, Lee met his future wife to be. Her name was Alma Edith Mackenzie a lovely young lady from Woodstock, New Brunswick. Alma was a student studying at the Brandon Baptist College. When Alma was 21 years old, she and Lee tied the knot in Brandon on September 27, 1911. The newly wedded couple lived and worked in Brandon until 1914, when personal tragedy struck back home in Ontario.
Lee, after serving with the Mounties for eight rugged years, felt it best if he resigned, and return to his home area of Hamilton with his bride Alma, after receiving the tragic news his younger sister Annie Katherine, at the age of 26, had died on May 17, 1914, from tuberculosis. Annie had painfully suffered for several years with the dreaded disease. The family was grief stricken. Lee, a compassionate man, felt he had completely let his family down with his long absence from home, and racked with guilt, now wanted to be closer to his family, especially at this very difficult and sad time. Home for good, Lee needed to find work as soon as possible. Then he heard about a possible opening as a constable in Burlington.
Lee Smith finds employment in Burlington as a Night Constable
Lee was hired as a replacement night constable a few weeks after his sister’s death in the spring of 1914. Burlington, at that time, had a population of around 2,000 people during World War 1. Most of the young men from town and the surrounding farms had already gone off to war. If you think about it, if about half the population were children, and ½ of the adults were female, this only leaves 500 adult men in town. Burlington did its part, and we sent 300 over to Europe. Only 200 elderly men remained behind. Who was going to keep us safe? The Town Council had recently gone through a series of unsuccessful attempts to hire other men who did not work out to be the kind of Burlington police officer they wanted patrolling the streets after dark.
Lee Smith’s interview was impressive, and Lee was selected to be their new man of law and order. Lee continued to be exceptional at police work putting his Northwest Mounted Police training to good use. Sometime in 1916 Burlington’s first Chief Constable, Charles Tufgar, 36, who lived on Ontario Street, unexpectedly resigned. Lee Smith, without any hesitation by Town Council was promoted to Burlington’s Chief Constable. Town Council wanted to make sure their “all-star officer” didn’t one day suddenly resign, with ambitions to move up the ladder with another police department. As it was, Lee was not about to leave. The Chief strongly believed in loyalty to the Mayor, the Town Council, and the residents of Burlington he served. The truth was Lee and Alma loved Burlington.
The new Chief delivers his first report to Town Council
It was the duty of the Police Chief to provide the Town Council with an annual update of the activities and concerns of the Police Department during the first week of January. In the Chief’s first report in 1917, he acknowledged the resignation of Chief Charles Tufgar, and he also informed the town’s Council they were without the services of a night constable.
The Chief reported that in 1916 there were 475 cases that went to Court. During that same year, the Chief had found 43 doors were unlocked, and advised those residents to have them secured. The Chief reported that Burlington had 5 fires, and 24 accidents were attended. There were two cases of aggravated assault, 76 overnight lodgers, three house break ins, two charges of abusive language, 14 thefts, four common assaults, 12 disorderly conducts, 11 vagrancy charges, 1 trespassing charge, two stolen horses, 49 warnings issued for small offences, 161 local complaints received and investigated, three charges of residents not having a proper license, five charges of riding a bicycle on the sidewalk, three charges of property damage, 3 cruelty to animal charges, one charge for not having sleigh bells, 286 aliens were registered, seven charges laid for being an alien enemy, 14 charges for drunkenness and breach of the OTA, and seven charges laid for breach of the Motor Vehicle Act.
There were 11 arrests outside of points. The Chief also reported that 29 children had not attended school and the parents had been contacted. A total of $1206.20 in fines was collected. Visitations to the two pool rooms and the moving picture theatre were deemed satisfactory and managed properly. The Chief was referring to Burlington’s new Crystal Theatre located on Brant Street, opposite Ontario Street.
The following year in June 1918, the Crystal Theatre featured the two classic blockbuster silent films, “Birth of a Nation” and “Intolerance”, complete with an in-house orchestra. The Chief concluded by saying, “I highly appreciate the valuable assistance given me by Mayor and Council, also that of the Special Constables and other Town officials during the year.” No doubt about it, the Chief had a very busy year in 1916.
The Chief expands his Police Department & hires more officers
When Lee Smith became Chief Constable, he was responsible for additional duties other than police work. It was also Lee’s job to do all the janitorial duties, such as washing windows, sweeping the floor, cleaning washrooms, and to do minor repairs around the municipal office. Lee was receiving $17.80 each week, and that was after his raise, when he was promoted to Chief. This was thought to be good pay back then.
One day, the Town Council under the leadership of Mayor Maxwell Smith, himself a man of great vision, innovation and entrepreneurship, decided that Lee could use some help as the town tried to modernize, so later that year in 1916 Town Council presented Lee with a telephone for his office, something long overdue, since telephones had been in use since their invention around 1877, almost 40 years earlier.
That wasn’t all that changed for the better. The following year in 1917, affable Bert Dunham was hired as a special constable, and it was decided Bert was to work every other Sunday for $2.00 a day. Bert and his wife Ida who had seven young children were living in a very small house at the corner of Pine and Elizabeth Street; and for the Dunham family, this new source of money was greatly welcomed. Lee knew that Bert needed the extra money and this was his way of helping out when he hired Bert for the job.
One thing about Lee J Smith, he really knew people. Bert was grateful for the work, and he wasn’t going to let the compassionate Chief down. Now, Lee was no longer on call seven days a week, but still came pretty close to around the clock duty. Lee not only worked days, but he also worked nights, and it was decided another constable was needed for the still vacant night shift.
Allan Mitchell, a Scottish born family man who was about 50 years old, also could use another job, after hitting some tough times, and like Bert, Allan could use the extra money to augment his irregular income. The Chief puzzled over how Allan would labour during the day with his various odd jobs, and then still work all night. Regardless of how Allan was going to make it work, he was hired as a night constable by Chief Smith, and this brought about some more badly needed relief for this completely overworked Police Chief.
 Here is a very dapper Adolphus Smith sporting a fashionable bowler hat, with his wife Susan and daughter Annie around 1918 at their home 2091 Maria Street, near the corner of Martha Street. Doll, as he was known, was the older brother of Chief Smith, and Burlington’s first motorcycle officer. A Police motorcycle, automobile accidents & possible nepotism
The Burlington Police Department grew to 4 officers in late 1919 when Chief Smith hired his older brother Adolphus as a new Burlington police officer. Adolphus was better known by everyone as “Doll”. During World War 1, fighting against Germany, Adolphus was probably not the best name to be known by, so Doll thought this shortened version of his name worked better. Doll Smith, a woodworker by trade was working at a munitions plant in Hamilton during World War 1.
 This accident occurred on the Lakeshore when the driver was heading towards Bronte. The impact was severe enough to snap the power line pole. When the war ended, Doll who was married, with a young daughter to raise, was soon to face unemployment and began looking for work. As it turned out, Chief Smith, a man with uncanny vision, had been thinking of a way to patrol the Lakeshore Road area. This road was becoming busier all the time, now that automobiles were becoming more prevalent, and wouldn’t you just know it, automobile accidents were starting to happen, a new phenomenon for the department. The population had increased to close to 2700 people. The population was getting close to a 50% increase over wartime numbers in town. Chief Smith, with virtually no real budget to work with managed to locate a free motorcycle for his department.
The Chief discovered that British World War 1 surplus motorcycles under the Imperial Gift plan, a program set up for all Members of the British Commonwealth to receive some of Britain’s military surplus, on a ruling established by the British Parliament on June 4, 1919 was put into effect. Chief Smith was elated and quickly sent in his application for one slightly used battle scarred motorcycle. When the machine arrived later that year, Constable Smith was assigned as Burlington’s first motorcycle officer.
 Chief Smith secured a war surplus motorcycle similar to this 1918 Matchless, and assigned his brother to patrol the busy Lakeshore Road, the main thoroughfare for automobiles, trucks, carriages, wagons, bicyclists and pedestrians between Toronto and Hamilton from 1919 to 1930. Doll patrolled the Lakeshore Road all the way to Toronto and back. Either Doll was hooked on riding a motorcycle, or he thought Burlington was far bigger than it actually was; whatever the reason, this is what Doll did for a few years. Doll left the department in the late 1920s to ride for the Ontario Highway Patrol, and in 1930 he moved over to the Ontario Provincial Police, when they hired 70 constables to begin their own motorcycle division. Doll was one of the OPP’s first motorcycle officers hired, and remained an OPP motorcycle officer patrolling Highways 8 and 20, right through to the Niagara area, until his retirement in 1950.
What about the nepotism? It wasn’t to be a problem. Not many people in that day could even drive an automobile, and far less could operate a motorcycle. Adolphus Smith already new how to ride, or so he claimed. Doll just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Adolphus Smith passed away in 1975 at 92 years of age.
The Ontario Temperance Act
Just when Lee Smith received his promotion to Chief, Ontario went bone dry in 1916. The Ontario Temperance Act (OTA) was enacted and this new law, designed with good intentions, prohibited alcohol sales. The OTA was in force until the Act was repealed in 1927. Needless to say, the Chief and his three officers were kept busy trying to enforce this unpopular law. Quite possibly, Chief Tufgar may have been provoked into his resignation over opposition to this legislation. The Temperance Act was that controversial.
The story of Burlington’s most famous Chief of Police was told in for parts. The Gazette is re-publishing parts 1 and 4. Links to parts 2 and 3 are linked below.
Part 2
Part 3
Pepper Parr
August 3rd, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
They are getting craftier.
The scammers – those people who use the internet to get information you do not want them to have – then they try to steal your money or data that is sensitive
Got this earlier today:
Dear Customer,
 Our data isn’t really in “a cloud”. The word became popular as a way to describe how many organizations are using locations where thousands of computer servers are used to store data where any number of people, with permissions, can access the data and add to it. Your Apple ID was used to sign in to iCloud via a web browser.
Date and Time: 03 August 2021, 07:49 PDT
IP Address, Country: 180.116.11.83, China – Shanghai
If the information above looks familiar, you can disregard this email.
If you have not signed in to iCloud recently and believe someone may have accessed your account, go to My Apple ID and change your password as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Apple Support
The problem with this notice is that we don’t have a CLOUD account – we have plans to set things up so that people can access some of our data.
These guys want to streak it before we are operating in the Cloud as a client.
Brazen bunch aren’t they.
There is a point here – as you make more use of the tools available – be really careful how you set things up.
 By Pepper Parr
July 27th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Police Services Board wants to ensure that policing is aligned with the community’s evolving needs, values and expectations; to that end they have created the role of Chief Governance Officer, or ‘CGO’.
 Fred Kaustinen first Chief Governance Officer for the Halton Police Service Board. It is part of Halton Police Board’s comprehensive board-modernization initiative.
The CGO will help modernize the Board’s policies and plans, create a new reporting and evaluation system, and develop a state-of-the-art governance training program.
The Board has appointed Fred Kaustinen as the first Chief Governance Officer.
Oakville Councillor and Chair of the Halton Police Board, Jeff Knoll said “Kaustinen is the foremost expert on police governance in Canada. He has a wealth of experience working with the Ontario, Alberta and Canadian Police Governance Associations, plus the Manitoba Police Commission and numerous municipal and First Nations police boards.”.
Kaustinen, in a media release from the Board said: “The members of the Halton Police Board are recognized for their openness to new ideas, creativity, and relentless pursuit of service excellence. The progress we can make as a team of innovative leaders will set new national standards for police governance. It’s a really exciting opportunity for the whole community.”
We had a number of questions about the appointment including:
Is this a full time job for the CGO?
He reports to the Board – correct?
While he would not be involved in operations – to what degree can he probe, look and investigate if necessary?
Is this an appointment with a time frame?
Was the job advertised?
We will let you know when we get answers.
 By Staff
July 26th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
On July 12, 2021, at 3:30pm, two suspects entered the Sephora store at Mapleview mall. After a few minutes, the suspects made their way to the back corner of the store where they proceeded to place $1,450 worth of skin care products in shopping bags. The suspects continued shopping for a few minutes before leaving the store without paying for the items.
 It’s all very casual – these young people walk in and put expensive products in a shopping bag and walk out with out paying. Pretty brazen. This was happening at LCBO stores. Now it is being seen in high end products. Suspect #1: female, white, blond hair, wearing white tank top, white crocks and blue denim. The suspect was also wearing a mask-PPE.
Suspect #2: female, white, brown hair, pregnant and wearing grey leggings, back tank top and black and white runners. The suspect was also wearing a medical mask-PPE.
If you have any information on this case, please contact the HRPS or Crime Stoppers.
By Staff
July 20, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Regional Police Service is pleased to announce the launch of our first Buy & Sell Exchange Zone.
A zone is an area the police set up that they deem to be a safe place. Right outside police headquarters is probably as safe as you are going to get.
Why such a zone? The Halton Regional Police explain:
Many people have become victims of crimes like robberies, frauds and thefts when attempting to buy or sell property online. The purpose of the Buy & Sell Exchange Zone is to provide some additional peace of mind to those who are buying, selling, or trading property online. If you are meeting new people while finalizing online transactions, we encourage you to use our Exchange Zone.
 You can expect to be safe outside Police headquarters The clearly-signed Exchange Zone is situated in the visitor parking lot of our 20 Division facility, which is located at:
95 Oak Walk Drive, Oakville, Ontario L6H 0G6 – Phone: 905-825-4777 ext. 2
If you are unable to meet at our Buy & Sell Exchange Zone, please consider completing your transactions in well-lit, public and popular locations to avoid being a victim of crime.
Tips to protect yourself during a buy and sell exchange:
• Complete your transaction during daytime hours only.
• Use the buddy system when possible. Bring a family or friend with you, or at the very least, let someone know who you will be meeting, the time, and the location of the exchange.
• To reduce the potential of falling victim to fraud, never complete a buy and sell transaction by mail.
• When meeting in person, always inspect goods you wish to purchase before giving money to the seller.
• Limit the amount of personal information you provide.
• Stop. Pause. Think. If something seems too good to be true, it likely is.
By Staff
July 14th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
On July 13, 2021, Deputy Chief Roger Wilkie was presented with the Member level of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces by RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki.
 Deputy Chief Roger Wilkie: MOM The Member of the Order of Merit (M.O.M.) specifically recognizes exceptional service or performance of duty over an extended period, usually at the local or regional/provincial level. Normally, recipients are invited to a ceremony where they are presented with the insignia of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces by the Governor General at Rideau Hall or la Citadelle. This year, due to the pandemic, the presentation was virtual in nature.
Established in October 2000, the Order of Merit of the Police Forces honours the leadership and exceptional service or distinctive merit displayed by the men and women of the Canadian Police Services, and recognizes their commitment to this country. The primary focus is on exceptional merit, contributions to policing and community development. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is the Order’s Sovereign, the governor general is its Chancellor and a Commander, and the commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is its Principal Commander.
There is a rigorous nomination and appointment process involved in receiving this recognition, with a focus on exceptional merit, contributions to policing, and community development and/or implementations.
Deputy Chief Roger Wilkie began his career with the Halton Regional Police Service in 1996. Throughout his career he has served in uniform operations in the Town of Milton, Town of Halton Hills, City of Burlington and Town of Oakville. He has worked in the Drug Unit, Mobile Surveillance Unit, Homicide Unit, Criminal Investigations Bureau, Domestic Violence Unit and as the Executive Officer to the Deputy Chief. He has also led several areas as the Operations Commander in Milton and Halton Hills, District Commander in Oakville, Critical Incident Commander for major public safety incidents and the Commander of Emergency Services, Training, and Human Resource Services. He was promoted to Deputy Chief of Regional Operations in 2018, and in October 2019, he started in his current role as Deputy Chief of District Operations.
In addition to his role as Deputy Chief, he is Vice President of the Executive Board of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police and is also the Co-Chair of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
By Staff
July 7th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
On Tuesday, 22 June 2021 1601hrs., an unknown male suspect attended the LCBO store located at 501 Appleby Line in the City of Burlington and stole two bottles of alcohol valued at $93.55.
 Suspect robs alcohol from two LCBO stores. The same suspect committed another theft (Halton Occurrence #2021-195001) at this same store where he stole another two bottles of alcohol valued at $148.70. Total theft in two occurrences is $242.25.
Suspect: Male, White, in 20’s, approximately 5’10 and 200lbs., wearing a dark blue coloured “Dallas Cowboys” #9, Romo Jersey, dark pants, black running shoes and a blue coloured Dallas Cowboys cap. The suspect had a black coloured backpack. The suspect was wearing a medical mask PPE.
If you have any information on this case, please contact the HRPS or Crime Stoppers.
By Staff
June 30th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Website based newspapers are different.
The story is in the archives and get read years later.
We watch traffic to the website closely to understand where the readers are coming from and what they are interested in.
In June of 2020 we published a story on a drug bust, a rather large endeavour that kept the police busy for a number of months.
There was nothing exceptional about the story – what caught our attention was the sudden increase in the traffic. This past couple of days a couple of hundred people were interested in what happened to the five accused.
What was the story about? CLICK on the link.
The traffic to the story was decent when the arrest announcement was released. Someone was tracking this story. Then it soared. We haven’t had a chance to talk with the Crown and learn if a trial has taken place. Someone cares about this story,
 Interesting  There were no prescription drugs in this bust.
By Staff
June 15th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
On Wednesday, June 9, 2021, at 5:15pm, a male suspect attended the LCBO store located at 321 Cornwall Road in the Town of Oakville and stole four bottles of alcohol valued at $306.40.
 Images are very clear – someone should know the suspect. Suspect: Male, White, appears to be in 30’s, brown hair, approximately 5’8 and 175lbs., wearing a white tank top style undershirt, teal coloured baggy pajama pants and grey coloured croc shoes. The suspect had a black backpack with white dots on it. The suspect was wearing a medical mask PPE.
The suspect has visible tattoos on both forearms.
There have been a number of thefts of liquor from LCBO shops.
The images captured are of very high quality – someone should recognize the man with expensive drinking habits.
What is confusing is how do the police know the exact value of what was stolen? Did the suspect stand before the cashier who rang in the purchase and the suspect walked out  without paying?
Pretty brazen!
If you have any information on this case, please contact the HRPS or Crime Stoppers.
By Staff
June 8th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The police would like some help identifying a suspect in an assault that took place at a Canadian Tire located at 777 Guelph Line in Burlington 0n the morning of Sunday June 6th.
 The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) were contacted after a female employee was grabbed by the arm through a fence by an unknown male suspect.
The victim was able to free herself. She suffered a mild (physical) injury to her arm.
Police have learned this suspect attended the same Canadian Tire location the day prior to the assault (Saturday June 5).
The suspect was observed hanging around the store for several hours. He made multiple attempts to interact with the victim and pointed his phone towards her.
The male is described as white, in his 40s with an unkempt short beard and a noticeable goatee. He has greyish, black hair.
On June 5, the suspect was wearing a navy blue button up shirt with a collar, beige cargo pants, sandals, a camo baseball cap and sunglasses with blue lenses and black frames. The suspect hung around the Garden Centre at this Canadian Tire location between the hours of 2:30 pm and 7:30 pm.
On June 6, the same suspect was wearing a black athletic type shirt, grey khaki shorts, with the same camo hat and a blue surgical mask hanging from one ear. The assault took place at approximately 9:45 am.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation or dash cam video of the area identified during these two time frames is asked to contact the 3 District Criminal Investigations Bureau – Detective Constable David Griffiths at 905 825-4777 ext. 2350 or ext. 2316.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
By Staff
June 4th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) – 3 District Criminal Investigations Bureau (CIB) with the assistance of 2 District CIB has concluded a week-long investigation in relation to a series of garage and shed break-ins, and vehicle entries in Burlington and Oakville.
Since May 23, 2021, a total of 37 incidents were reported where vehicles, garages and outdoor sheds were entered. In many incidents, the accused used the garage door opener stolen from the vehicle in the victim’s driveway in order to gain entry to the garage. Multiple items were stolen through the course of these entries, including high-end bicycles and tools. The accused was also using a stolen vehicle to perpetrate these crimes.
On June 2, 2021, Dylan Brown (28) of Hamilton was arrested at a Hamilton residence. He has been charged with the following offences:
- Break and Enter (11 counts)
- Theft Under $5000 (4 counts)
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5000 (13 counts)
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000 (3 counts)
- Trespass at Night (6 counts)
- Fraud Under $5000
- Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose
- Trafficking Stolen Property
A Criminal Code search warrant was executed as a result of the investigation and approximately $70,000 worth of stolen property was recovered.
Brown has been held in custody pending a bail hearing.
Investigation is continuing in efforts to identify other possible suspects in regards to these incidents. Anyone with information regarding this investigation or wishing to inquire about any recovered stolen property is asked to contact the following investigators.
D/Cst Cole Richards – 3 District Street Crime Unit at 905-825-4747 ext. 2345.
D/Cst Mark Bingham – 2 District Street Crime Unit at 905-825-4747 ext. 2268.
 Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
We would like to remind our community of the following tips to help prevent becoming a victim to these types of crimes:
- Ensure your vehicle doors are always locked
- Always roll up your windows
- Remove all valuables from your vehicle
- Leave an exterior light on to illuminate your driveway at night
- Remove your garage door opener
 By Staff
May 19th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Today marks the beginning of Canada Road Safety Week, a 7-day national campaign aimed at making Canada’s roads the safest in the world.
With what we have seen take place earlier this week in York, the importance of this message has never been more obvious. Our heart breaks for our neighbouring community.
 Auto accident consequences include criminal charges, fines, suspensions, or vehicle impoundment. This annual awareness campaign is designed to increase public compliance with safe driving measures in order to save lives and reduce injuries. The focus of this campaign continues to be on behaviours that put drivers, passengers, pedestrians and other vulnerable road users at risk: impaired driving, distracted driving, aggressive driving, and not wearing a seat belt.
Unsafe driving behaviors come with increased risk of injury or death. Other consequences include criminal charges, fines, suspensions, or vehicle impoundment.
There is no excuse to justify unsafe driving behaviour. It is simply #NotWorthTheRisk.
We want Halton residents and all Canadians to remember the decisions they make and the consequences of their actions impact everyone on or near our roadways.
The Halton Regional Police Service thanks those in our community who recognize that they share the roads with others.
 Often takes months to recover accidents like this. Whether you are a motorcyclist, a pedestrian, a driver, or a cyclist, remember… road safety starts with YOU.
The Halton Regional Police Service is proud to be participating in this year’s Canada Road Safety Campaign. While this public safety initiative is part of a national effort to help make Canada’s roads the safest in the world, we are confident that our local efforts will help make the roads here in Halton among the safest in Canada.
 By Staff
May 14th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
 Boat from the Regional Police Marine unit were cruising the waters opposite the Beachway. While Halton Regional Police Chief Tanner may have said his people would not be involved in crowd issues in Burlington there was one of the boats from the Marine fleet patrolling the waters off the Beachway on Thursday.
Those boats do not patrol on a regular basis – someone told them to be out there. Watch for them on the weekend. We might see a much needed shift in police involvement.
The boat didn’t come in very close – but the Officer was on deck with binoculars.
 By Pepper Parr
May 11, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
There is a comment in the Gazette from a former police officer who served for 30 years – it deserves some comment. The police officer wrote:
“My point is …. pay duty officers are requested and paid for by a private company (ie construction, movie shoots) NOT Halton Region, so the suggestion that the City of Burlington request and pay for pay duty officers (out of our tax dollars) is ridiculous. It’s sad to see how the media has contributed to the rise in tension and hate towards the police, of late. AND yes I am proud of my honourable career as a police officer. I worked for HRPS for 30 years!”
Our purpose is not to identify the officer but to respond to her assertion that the Gazette has contributed to the rise in” tension and hate towards the police”.
 Most of the time the police are where they need to be. The intention is to hold the police accountable and ensure that they be transparent and protect the public that hires them to do just that.
The word hate was introduced by the police officer – not the Burlington Gazette.
Police are often seen on the street, riding bicycles and keeping an eye on things – a basic part of good police work; getting out of the cruiser and seeing what is going on.
In the ten years we have covered Burlington the Gazette has reported on a lot of outstanding police work. There are a lot of smart, dedicated men and women serving the public.
The only thing ridiculous about paying for pay duty police officers is that the taxpayer would be paying twice.
 Police officer told us he was on “bikini patrol” and that he loved his job. Times are tough for many people. Coping with the financial damage being done to the hospitality sector is seriously hurting families and some of that pain gets expressed publicly.
People are fearful, they expect, want, and need support.
Most people recognize that is why we have a police service.
Related news
Backbone
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
By Pepper Parr
May 10TH, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Part two of a two part article.
Chief of Police Stephen Tanner met with city council virtually last week – covered the full spectrum of what they do for the municipalities in Halton .
 Chief Tanner in conversation virtually with Council. In 2020 there were 44,675 calls for service to the police; impaired driving charges increased by 100% during part of 2020 when bars and restaurants were closed.
Police officers now have much more in the way of personal devices that help get the job done. He said he expects that in the not too distant future they will be able to finger print a person on the spot and be able to access RCMP and Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) data banks. Chief Tanner certainly liked it.
In the past the police used to transport 300 to 400 individuals who were in custody to court hearings. The advent of virtual hearing via Zoom has basically ended the need for that service.
During the question and answer part of the meeting the Chief mentioned that there was going to be an additional court house operation somewhere on the South Service Road, he paused and wondered aloud if he was supposed to be making those plans public.
The comment that caught people by surprise was word that the police were not going to be involved in the public patrolling of parks and other places where large numbers of people gather.
A comment made at council meeting last week that a city staff member had been involved in an incident that put her personal safety at risk brought the approach the Chief had suggested into question.
If the police cannot be called upon when there are public safety issues who do municipal administrations turn to?
During the council meeting mention was made of the mounted patrol Toronto has and the appearances they make in parks. Burlington doesn’t have mounted police officers but there are a lot of bicycles that could be used.
 Tickets handed out by police do not result in positive relationships. Media were not able to learn who the staff person was and just what had happened; only that the Spencer Smith Park Ambassador program was on hold until the there is more information.
During the virtual session with the police Chief Tanner talked about the police relationship with the city. Mention was made of the number of tickets that were handed out by police – did not result in positive relationships.
Expect there to be discussions about the quality of the relationship with the police and the matter of public safety.
Part 1 of a two part article
By Staff
May 6th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Part 1 of a two part article.
Halton Regional Police Chief Stephen Tanner took part, virtually, in a delegation that told the public much more than they have heard from a police chief in some time.
 The short version of what the Regional Police do in Burlington. Inspector Bob Gourlay who runs the Burlington detachment of the Regional Police took council through a slide deck with all kinds of data which the Chief commented on at length later in the delegation.
This will be a two part article – the slide deck now and then what the Chief had to say.
Burlington was where Chief Tanner started his career as a police officer. He went on to serve in Belleville, Kingston and returning to Burlington as Halton Region Chief of Police in 2012.
 Many of the police resources are at headquarters which are in Oakville. Burlington has a full compliment including DUST, DRT, Criminal Investigation, high school and public school liaison officers.  Break and Enter into homes is down – people are working from home keeps the thieves away.
 The data points to the difficulty some people are having in dealing with the pandemic. Cooped up in a house where the relationships between the occupants are not that good is a recipe for a lot of personal pain.  The calls police get on drug matters tends to be related to the legal retailers and the product they are selling.  With traffic on the roads (QEW excepted) roadside tests are lower.  Fewer cars on the road – fewer collisions.  Data is consistent over the two year period.
|
|
