A Walpole Island man is facing multiple charges after allegedly stealing two vehicles to travel between Ridgetown, Chatham and Wallaceburg.
The Chatham-Kent Police Service said officers were called to a home on Gosnell Line near Ridgetown at around 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, after the first vehicle was stolen. Police say sometime between 3:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., a 2004 Ford Expedition was stolen from the driveway, along with property worth around $8,000.
Not long after at around 7 a.m., officers were called to a home on Grand Avenue East near Curran Crescent in Chatham following the theft of the second vehicle. Police said the victim had left his work-issued white Nissan van running while he was in the house, and saw someone enter the vehicle and drive away.
The first stolen vehicle, the Ford Expedition, was located by officers nearby on Grand Ave East.
Using a GPS tracker in the Nissan, officers were able to locate and stop the vehicle in the area of Wallace Street in Wallaceburg.
The driver of the vehicle, who was also identified using surveillance footage from the scene of the theft in Chatham, was arrested.
During a search of the suspect, officers allegedly found firearm magazines loaded with .22 calibre ammunition.
A 24-year-old Walpole man is now charged with theft over $5,000, possession of stolen property over $5,000 and three counts of possessing a weapon or ammunition contrary to a prohibition order. The accused has been held in custody pending bail.
Anyone with further information regarding this incident is asked to contact Constable Jayme O’Reilly at JAYMEO@chatham-kent.ca or 519-436-6600. Those who wish to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).