Thursday, March 11, 2010

Traffic Services Conclude Investigation into the 28th of February Queen Street East Pedestrian/Motor Vehicle Fatality – Driver Charged

As a result of the investigation into the fatal motor vehicle collision that occurred on February 28th on Queen Street East in which 19 year-old Matthew Howard was struck and killed, the 32 year old driver of the motor vehicle involved, Joseph Biocchi of 112 Williams Street in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario has been charged with one count of Careless Driving and one count of Failing to Drive in a Marked Lane under the Highway Traffic Act. Mr. Biocchi is scheduled to attend Provincial Offenses Court on April 28th at 9:00 am.

Earlier Release: Robbery at Market Mall Pharmacy

City police a re currently investigating a robbery that occurred at approximately 8 pm last night at the IDA Market Mall Pharmacy. A lone male entered the pharmacy, produced a note advising he had a gun and demanded oxycontin and fentanyl patches. The male left with an undisclosed amount of the drugs. Police could not locate the suspect at the time. The pharmacist was not physically injured. The suspect is described as being a white, Caucasian male in his 30’s, wearing a dark toque, a gray or white coloured hoodie under a dark jacket and dark work boots. Investigators are continuing the investigation and a reviewing security video of the incident.

Update: Robbery at Market Mall IDA Pharmacy

Investigation Services are requesting assistance from the media and the public in identifying the individual in the attached photos. Additional suspect description indicates the suspect has a pock marked complexion.

If anyone has information regarding this robbery or the identification of this suspect please contact the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
Please do not approach this suspect if observed.

Fraudulent E-Mails

The Sault Ste. Marie Police is reminding the public to remain vigilant in the use of e-mail accounts and suspected frauds related to their accounts.

Recently, the Sault Ste. Marie Police Technological Crime Unit has received several complaints from persons having their e-mail account “hacked” and messages sent to members on their contact list requesting money be sent to an unknown account.

Account holders of Microsoft’s “Hotmail” have received e-mails from unknown persons portraying themselves as being part of Microsoft requesting passwords and other information be resubmitted as part of registering their account.

With this information, the suspect then gains control of the account and sends requests to the victim’s contacts indicating that the victim is in a foreign country and in need of money.

For security reasons, businesses such as E-bay, Microsoft and PayPal will NOT send an e-mail redirect with regards to updating account information.

If someone receives this type of e-mail, they should be suspicious of a fraud.

Also remember, never reply to e-mails requesting personal or financial information. Banks and reputable businesses don’t send unsolicited e-mails requesting this information.

Male Wanted for Assault with Bat Arrested

23 year-old Tyler Smith of 221Wellington Street West was arrested on the 10th of March at 3:01 pm at his residence and charged with one count of aggravated assault. The accused was wanted for an assault that occurred in the early morning hours on the 7th of March at a gathering at a residence on Wellington Street West when he allegedly assaulted a male with a bat. As a result of being struck numerous times with the bat, the 25 year-old male victim received serious non-life threatening injuries that required medical attention. The accused is to appear in bail court this morning.

Four Shoplifting Arrests

35 year-old Crystal Harvey and 19 year-old Hannah Michelle Harvey both of #207-441 Queen Street West were arrested on the 10th of March at 6:14 pm at Zellers at the Station Mall and charged with one each count of theft under $5,000.00 after they allegedly attended at the store just after 6 pm and stole several items. She is to appear in court on the 12trh of March.

19 year-old Daniel Murphy of 160 Amber Street was arrested on the 10th of March at 4:35 pm at Mark’s Work Warehouse on Great Northern Road and charged with one count of theft under $5,000.00 and one count of breach of probation after he allegedly attended at the store around 4:25 pm and stole some clothing. He is to appear in court on the 12th of April.

A 17 year-old male was arrested on the 10th of March at 12:17 pm at the Metro Store on Second Line West after he allegedly attended at the store at 12:10 pm and stole a jacket and some food items. He was charged with one count of theft under $5,000. 00 and is to appear tin court on the 13th of April.

Robbery at Market Mall Pharmacy

City police a re currently investigating a robbery that occurred at approximately 8 pm last night at the IDA Market Mall Pharmacy. A lone male entered the pharmacy, produced a note advising he had a gun and demanded oxycontin and fentanyl patches. The male left with an undisclosed amount of the drugs. Police could not locate the suspect at the time. The pharmacist was not physically injured. The suspect is described as being a white, Caucasian male in his 30’s, wearing a dark toque, a gray or white coloured hoodie under a dark jacket and dark work boots. Investigators are continuing the investigation and a reviewing security video of the incident.

If anyone has any information regarding this robbery please contact city police at 949-6300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

Break and Enter

A residence on Bush Street was entered yesterday. Cash, cigarettes were reported stolen.

Mischief Reports

Two businesses on Gore Street had windows smashed sometime overnight on the 9th -10th of March.

Several vehicles were vandalized and some were broken into in the areas of Jemmette Street, Pine Street, Third Line East, Northern Avenue and Hillside Drive. Some of the items reported stolen included cash, a money pouch a drivers licence and credit car.

If anyone has any information regarding these crimes, please contact city police at 949-6300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS