Police briefs
Please contact 911 for emergencies or call 188-310-1122 to make a report of a non-emergent nature.
(FORT FRANCES, ON) – Members of the Rainy River District Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) were called to investigate the use of a counterfeit $100 bill.
The officers were able to quickly identify a suspect thanks to surveillance equipment in the victims business.
A 26-year old Couchiching First Nation man has been charged criminally with: Uttering counterfeit money
The accused is scheduled to appear in Fort Frances Criminal Court on March 22.
As a reminder to businesses and members of the public, the following indicators have been observed on the counterfeit money that has been circulated to dat
- The bills are thick paper not polymer;
- The translucent plastic on these bills is actually just tape;
- There are hash marks on the top right corner of the face side of the bill, or the corner may be just cut off;
- In all examples the maple leaf on the left side is not translucent, and is not a hologram.
IMPAIRED DRIVER
(FORT FRANCES, ON) – Shortly before 5:00 am on February 13, 2021 members of the Rainy River District Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police were alerted to a possible impaired driver. Officers located the subject of the complaint and conducted an investigation.
Officers located the male driving a motor vehicle on King’s Highway in Fort Frances. A traffic stop was conducted and the male was arrested for impaired operation based on the officer’s observation and obvious indicators of impairment.
The driver was presented to an Intoxilyxer Technician and the investigation continued. The evidence gathered supported the observations that they were impaired.
A 52 year old Winnipeg man has been charged criminally with: Operate conveyance while impaired by alcohol or drugs; and Operate conveyance with blood alcohol concentration of 80 or more.
As a result of these charges, the driver’s privileges have been suspended in Ontario for ninety days and the motor vehicle in question was impounded for a period of seven days.
The OPP is committed to safe communities….a secure Ontario. Please contact 911 for emergencies or call 1-888-310-1122 to make a report of a non-emergent nature.
DRUG CHARGES
(FORT FRANCES, ON) – Shortly after 8:00 pm on January 20, 2021 members of the Rainy River District Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police conducted a traffic stop for a Highway Traffic Act violation. Further investigation at the traffic stop lead to grounds to arrest the driver and passenger for Possession of a controlled substance.
A search incident to arrest was conducted and officers located and seized evidence of controlled substances.
A black pistol style pellet gun, as well and personal use amounts of Methamphetamine; Fentanyl; and Oxycodone
A 22-year-old Kenora man has been charged criminally with: Obstruct peace officer; and two counts of possession of a controlled substance – schedule I.
A 25-year-old Stonewall, Manitoba man has been charged criminally with two counts of possession of a controlled substance – Schedule I.
For more information regarding the dangers of Fentanyl, visit the Government of Canada Website.
The OPP is committed to safe communities….a secure Ontario. Please contact 911 for emergencies or call 1-888-310-1122 to make a report of a non-emergent nature.
DRUG CHARGES
(FORT FRANCES, ON) – Shortly after 5:00 pm on February 26, 2021 members of the Rainy River District Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police were alerted to a possible impaired driver. Officers located the subject of the complaint on Hwy 613 in the Warsaw Road area and conducted an investigation.
Based on observations made by the officers conducting the investigation, the driver of the motor vehicle was arrested for impaired operation of a conveyance by drug. The investigation was continued with the assistance of a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) who was able to confirm the investigating officers’ observations.
During the investigation, officers located and seized 20 grams of a substance believed to be fentanyl.
A 25-year old Emo man has been charged criminally with: Operate conveyance while impaired by drug; and Possession of Fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking.
The accused will appear in Fort Frances Provincial Court on March 22, 2021 to answer to these charges.
As a result of these charges, the driver’s privileges have been suspended in Ontario for 90 days and the motor vehicle in question was impounded for a period of seven days.
The OPP is committed to safe communities….a secure Ontario. Please contact 911 for emergencies or call 1-888-310-1122 to make a report of a non-emergent nature.
CYBER SECURITY
The Covid-19 pandemic has changed how Canadians shop, conduct business, learn and interact with each other. As a result, a significant shift has been made to utilize technology, which has resulted in considerable positive changes. However, this has not come without a cost. This past year numerous Canadians, businesses and organizations have fallen victim to the destructive toll of cyber enabled crimes.
In 2020, the CAFC received 19,473 fraud reports from 9,858 Ontario victims who reported losing approximately $47 million to fraudsters. Moreover CAFC received, 67,294 reports from Canadian consumers and businesses that reported losses totalling more than $104.2 million. Unfortunately, this figure only represents the losses related to approximately five percent of fraud victims who report the crime to police or the CAFC.
Fraudsters have embraced technologies to engage, target and exploit victims, often with devastating financial and emotional effects. All Canadians can take basic steps to better protect themselves from becoming a victim of fraud. Some basic online tips include:
- Creating strong passwords;
- Avoid opening unsolicited emails or clicking on suspicious links or attachments;
- Restricting the amount of information shared publicly;
- Show caution with regards to social media; and
- Update technical security software.
If you do fall victim to a fraud or know someone who has, we urge individuals to contact your local police service and the CAFC by phone at 1-888-495-8501 or online by way of the Fraud Reporting System (FRS).
