The St. Thomas Police Service has reported a series of violent incidents investigated in the city over recent days, including charges related to sexual assault and intimate partner violence. These investigations, detailed in a May 14 incident report, are part of a broader trend of rising violent crime severity in the community, even as local police continue their regular community safety efforts.
Among the recent reports, police arrested a 45-year-old St. Thomas resident and charged him with sexual assault following an investigation into an incident at a north-side residence. In a separate event, a 16-year-old youth already on probation for serious criminal offences out of London was charged with assault after becoming violent toward a victim inside a motor vehicle. The victim in that case drove directly to the police station to seek help. The youth was remanded into custody.
Officers also responded to two incidents involving intimate partner violence. A 25-year-old female was charged with spousal assault after a disturbance at a north-end residential building. Additionally, police are searching for a 36-year-old resident of Muncey who is wanted for failing to comply with an undertaking. Police were called to a south-side home where the caller reported an ex was inside refusing to leave; the man had a history of domestic violence at that address and was on court-ordered conditions not to communicate with the victim.
These incidents follow a period of record-high demand for local law enforcement. In 2025, the service responded to 24,345 incidents, marking the busiest year on record. While overall crime severity in the city dropped by 17.57% between 2022 and 2024, the severity of violent crime increased by 22.3% over that two-year period.
Outside of these investigations, the police service remains active in community safety enforcement. During a recent traffic initiative, officers checked 45 vehicles to ensure drivers and passengers were using seatbelts, with no infractions recorded.
