Guelph police have arrested a local man in connection with a series of fraud cases targeting elderly residents, while also managing a busy weekend that included three impaired driving arrests and a construction site theft.
The Guelph Police Service reported that a 26-year-old Guelph man faces two counts of fraud over $5,000 and seven counts of unauthorized use of a credit card. The charges stem from incidents in July 2025, when three residents in their 90s were contacted by individuals claiming to be bank investigators. In these cases, the suspect visited the victims’ homes to collect debit and credit cards, which were later used to make thousands of dollars in unauthorized purchases and withdrawals. Under the Criminal Code, authorities note that victim vulnerability due to age is considered an aggravating factor during sentencing, which can lead to increased penalties for such crimes.
Over a recent 72-hour period, officers also handled 719 calls for service, including three arrests for impaired driving. One of those incidents involved a 22-year-old man who was found sitting in a van with deployed airbags after witnesses reported the vehicle spinning its tires on Vanier Drive. Officers determined the driver had a blood alcohol concentration twice the legal limit. As part of the provincial Administrative Driver’s Licence Suspension program, all three drivers arrested during this period received a 90-day licence suspension and a seven-day vehicle impoundment. These penalties are part of Ontario’s 2026 rules for impaired driving, which also include fines and required education courses for offenders.
Additionally, police are investigating a theft at a construction site near Glasow Street South and Bristol Street. Workers arrived on Friday morning to discover that the property had been entered late Thursday or early Friday, with various tools and propane heaters reported stolen. While the investigation remains ongoing, construction site theft is a recurring issue in the city, with similar incidents often resulting in thousands of dollars in losses for contractors. Those with information regarding the theft are encouraged to contact Constable Karson Massey at the Guelph Police Service.
While recent data from Statistics Canada shows Guelph’s violent crime severity index at a record high, the city continues to be ranked among the safest communities in Canada based on the overall crime severity index.
