The Stratford Police Service arrested three people in January 2026 after responding to 28 property theft incidents in Stratford, Ontario. This was a significant jump from January 2025, when only one theft was reported during the same month.
Inspector Mark Taylor told the Stratford Police Services Board, the group that oversees local policing, that three people are believed to be responsible for most of the thefts. In one case, police linked a single suspect to seven different thefts that all happened on January 13, 2026.
The total number of calls for help in the city rose to 1,588 in January 2026, up from 1,440 the year before. Officers also handled 105 car accidents compared to 78 in 2025, which police said was partly due to poor winter weather making the roads more dangerous.
Police laid 90 more charges this January than they did during the same time last year. This increase was credited to more traffic stops and officers being more visible while on patrol throughout the community.
The news comes as Chief Greg Skinner retired on March 2, 2026, after nearly 40 years in policing. Paul Landers took over as the interim chief earlier this month to lead the service while a permanent replacement is found.
