On December 3, 2025, a package containing disassembled furniture was stolen from the hallway outside a unit in a downtown Guelph apartment building roughly 30 minutes after it was delivered, Guelph Police say. The incident, logged as occurrence GU25080178, occurred around noon and security video shows the package was taken at approximately 12:30 p.m.
In a media release on December 11, police shared an image of a person of interest captured on video. He is described as a white male in his mid-20s to mid-30s, tall and thin with short brown hair, wearing a green winter jacket over a Toronto Blue Jays jersey, dark pants and black Nike running shoes. Investigators hope someone will recognize the individual and contact them with information.
Police say the theft is part of a persistent ‘porch piracy’ problem in Guelph’s high-density residential areas. While overall crime rates in the city have dipped slightly, opportunistic thefts under $5,000 have risen slightly — from 2,221 to 2,334 reported incidents in a year-over-year comparison.
The Guelph Police Service recommends residents install high-definition doorbell cameras (1080p minimum) with two-way communication, use smart parcel lockers or require ‘signature required’ deliveries for high-value items such as furniture, and ask property managers to preserve surveillance footage beyond the standard 24–48 hour overwrite cycle. Full residential safety guidelines are available on the Guelph Police website.
Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to call Constable Todd Van Iersel at 519-824-1212, ext. 7557, email tvaniersel@guelphpolice.ca, or submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.csgw.tips. The Guelph Police Service also asks that all package thefts, even those under $5,000, be reported via the CopLogic online reporting tool to help investigators identify theft hot spots.
