NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE
*************************
Members of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Southern Georgian Bay detachment responded to a report at 6:27 a.m. on April 15, 2020 of a Cook Drive, Town of Midland resident of suspicious activity in the fresh snow around his parked vehicle overnight in his driveway.
The attending uniform OPP officer spoke with the complainant and the officer received another similar complaint on April 16, 2020. The investigating officer spoke with numerous residents in the Cook Drive to Montreal Street area and reviewed other residents video surveillance showing an unknown person attempting to open their car doors in the early morning hours over several days.
Officers, through investigation, were able to identify a suspect in relation to these calls for service and further investigation revealed that the suspect was bound by a number of conditions relating to a judicial release from Barrie Court.
On April 17, 2020 OPP officers attempting to locate the suspect, learned of a number of violations relating to his judicial release and continued to attempt to locate the suspect.
On April 18, 2020 a detachment uniform member responded at 7:48 a.m. to an report of a mischief and theft of cash donations from the Camp Day donation box in the drive through of the Tim Hortons Restaurant on Midland Avenue. Uniform officers reviewed the security camera images and recognized the suspect. The officer continued to investigate the suspect and learned that the suspect was on a previous judicial release from the Barrie Court and under a probation order.
Uniform OPP officers were able to locate and arrest the suspect at a Yonge Street, Town of Midland motel on April 19, 2020.
Charged with the following offences relating to these incidents and other recent Midland incidents is Matthew Cascanette, 20 years, of the Midland area:
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime under $5000 (one count)
- Theft under $5000.00 (one count)
- Mischief Under $5000 (two counts)
- Trespassing at Night (two counts)
- Fail to Comply with Probation Order (eight counts)
- Failure to Comply with Recognizance (five counts)
- Fail to Comply with Conditions of Undertaking Given by Officer in Charge (two counts)
All offences contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada.
The accused was held for a bail hearing via video link and remains in custody.
Back in February, police were dispatched at 12:40 a.m. Feb. 7, 2020 to a report from the public of a suspicious person entering vehicles in the area of Russ Howard Drive in Midland. Uniform OPP officers patrolled the area's of Keller Drive, Russ Howard Drive, Jordeli Lane, Simcoe Boulevard, Cook Drive and Wright Drive and did locate and arrest a person matching the provided information at 1 a.m. Feb. 7, 2020.
Charged is Matthew James Cascanette, 20 years of no fixed address in Midland with the following criminal property and probation related offences:
• Theft under $5,000
• Possession property obtained by crime under $5,000 - in Canada
• Trespassing at night
• Fail to comply with probation order
The accused was released from police custody on an undertaking to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Midland on March 26, 2020.
Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122, [email protected] or by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). You can submit your information online at www.p3tips.com. Crime Stoppers does not subscribe to call display and you will remain anonymous. Being anonymous, you will not testify in court and your information may lead to a cash reward of up to $2,000.00. You can follow Crime Stoppers of Simcoe Dufferin Muskoka www.crimestopperssdm.com on Twitter or Facebook.
*************************
