Members of the Peterborough OPP responded to a break and enter at a residence on Clare Newhams Road at approximately 1 p.m. on August 18, 2021.
The victim reported that an all-terrain vehicle, a chainsaw and a gun safe which contained five long guns had been stolen.
An investigation involving members from the Peterborough/Northumberland Community Street Crime Unit (CSCU), Peterborough County OPP and East Region Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau (OCEB) resulted in a suspect being identified.
A Criminal Code search warrant was granted to search the suspect’s property and dwelling located on McGill Street in Marmora and Lake, Ontario.
On August 19, 2021 members from the Peterborough/Northumberland CSCU with the assistance of East Region OCEB and East Region CSCU executed a search warrant at the McGill Street property.
The suspect was arrested without incident and investigators recovered four stolen long guns from within the residence.
Further investigation revealed that a second suspect was involved in the break and enter and theft.
The second suspect was located and arrested in an adjacent apartment.
The suspect voluntarily turned over the fifth stolen long gun which had been stored within the apartment.
The stolen safe, ATV and chainsaw were located a short distance away on an associate’s property.
Matthew FRENCH (age 30) of Marmora and Lake, Ontario was arrested and charged with:
• Possession of Property obtained by crime over $5,000
• Break and enter a place and steal a firearm
• Careless storage of firearm, weapon, prohibited device or ammunition
• Unauthorized possession of a firearm
• Break, enter a place – commit indictable offence
The accused was held in custody and appeared for a bail hearing in the Ontario Court of Justice in Peterborough on August 20, 2021.
Jayson DOW-WEST (age 24) of North Kawartha Township, Ontario was arrested and charged with:
• Possession of Property obtained by crime over $5000
• Break and enter a place and steal a firearm
• Careless storage of firearm, weapon, prohibited device or ammunition
• Unauthorized possession of a firearm
• Break, enter a place – commit indictable offence
• Possession of prohibited device or ammunition for dangerous purpose
The accused is scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Peterborough on September 21, 2021.
Seized items from this investigation include:
• Five long guns
• Stihl chainsaw
• 2015 Yamaha Grizzly ATV
• Gun safe
• Prohibited knife
• Crossbow
• 2004 GMC pickup truck
