NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE
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Between June 23 and Aug. 20, 2023, members from the East Algoma Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have been investigating several thefts involving boats, small boat motors, generators, a dirt bike, and an ATV in the Town of Blind River.
On June 23, 2023, a 2.5 horsepower (h.p.) Mercury outboard motor was stolen off a boat parked in a parking lot at an apartment complex on Illinois Avenue. The motor is described as black in colour with a blue mark on the top left-hand side of the cowling cover.
Sometime between 9:30 p.m. on June 29, 2023 and 8 a.m. on June 30, 2023, an orange TAO 125 cc dirt bike was stolen from the complainant's yard on Highway 17 near the local gas station within the community of Mississauga First Nation.
Sometime between 6 p.m. on Friday, July 21, 2023 and 6 p.m., July 22, 2023, the Blind River Marina reported a blue 2200-watt Yamaha generator, and an older model two stroke yellow leaf blower (unknown make) were stolen from the Marina property.
While police were investigating the above theft from the Blind River Marina, Blind River Boat Works had footage of a suspect stealing items from their customers boats parked outside the business.
Between Friday, Aug. 4, 2023 and the morning of Sunday, Aug. 6, 2023, a 14-foot aluminum boat with an orange hull and with an attached 2000 blue 9.9 h.p. Evinrude outboard motor that has a cracked cover on the motor (piece of black tape on it) with a sticker with "SPACECK" on it was stolen from the shore of the Blind River waterway that is on a property on Royer Road.
Update: The 14-foot boat was recovered on an island on the west side of the Blind River (Mississauga First Nation side) on Monday, Aug. 14, 2023. The 9.9 Evinrude motor is still outstanding. Also located on the island was an older jet-ski that was reported missing and returned to owner.
Sometime between Sunday, July 23, 2023 and Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023 on the Blind River waterway a break and enter occurred at a property on Woodward Avenue.
The complainant's cottage had been broken into. Access to the cottage was gained through a window and the culprit(s) stole a yellow Champion 3550/4450-Watt portable generator, gas cans, fishing tackle and fishing poles from inside the cottage.
Also stolen were two kayaks (orange and blue in colour), a camouflage canoe, two red plastic Muskoka chairs and a 16-foot aluminum boat with a 9.9 Johnson outboard motor. The boat has a camouflage hull and black bottom. The boat was secured to a dock with the culprit(s) cutting the lines.
Update: On Aug. 14, 2023, police located the 16-foot camouflage boat tied near the boat launch on Park Street (behind the local secondary school) and was returned to the owner. Still outstanding is the 9.9 Evinrude along with the other stolen property.
On Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023, a grey 25 h.p. Yamaha two stroke motor was stolen from a parking lot at an apartment complex on West Street.
Sometime between the evening of Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023 and 8 a.m., on Friday, Aug. 18, 2023, culprit(s) stole a red 1998 Yamaha Warrior ATV from a property on Francis Street.
Update: On Aug. 20, 2023, the owner located the ATV on Togo Street.
Anyone with information regarding these thefts is asked to contact the East Algoma OPP Detachment at 1-888-310-1122.
Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or submit information online where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.
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