(ST.MARYS, ON) – On Thursday May 01, 2014, shortly before the noon hour, Perth County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers in St.Marys were contacted by a local merchant. The merchant reported having a female in his store who he suspected of stealing merchandise at an earlier date. The female left the store and was seen driving off in a van.
A short time later, officers located the female and the van at the St.Marys Canadian Tire parking lot. She was arrested and found to be in possession of a large number of stolen items. The items in her vehicle had been shoplifted from St.Marys and area businesses. Officers contacted five business owners that were identified as victims. The owners were able to identify their property and confirmed that the items had been stolen from their businesses earlier in the day. The stolen goods ranged from garden furniture, electronics, plants, paint and other hardware items.
Colleen SMITH (51), a Hamilton resident, has been charged with five counts of “theft under $5,000â€Â, and five counts of “possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000â€Â, contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada.
She is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Stratford on May 26, 2014 to answer to these charges.