East Ottawa business wants police to reopen investigation into damaged trucks
An east Ottawa business says it believes it knows who punctured dozens of dump truck tires in January but is frustrated that, months later, whoever is responsible remains at large.
"One of our employees here discovered that someone had broken into our yard across the road and had flattened 30 tires on dump trucks and tractor trailers and I guess caused a little over $40,000 worth of damage," said Sean Saunders, general manager for Maurice Yelle Excavation.
- Sign up now for daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
It happened on Jan. 20, in the yard where Maurice Yelle Excavation parks its trucks.
Staff looked through security footage and recognized a vehicle they say matches one driven by a former employee.
"He had made threats to break some things during his exit interview and a couple days prior," said Saunders. "So, we have a pretty good idea of who committed the crime, and I think it was just revenge based."
Security video shows a vehicle near the Maurice Yelle Excavation parking lot on Jan. 20, 2024, the night a dozen trucks were damaged. (Maurice Yelle Excavation/supplied)
Months have passed, but no arrests have been made.
"The Break and Enter Unit investigated the file, which included reviewing CCTV footage from several businesses in the area," Ottawa police said. "Due to a lack of evidence, the file has since been closed. Should new information be obtained, the file may be reopened."
The company says officers made several phone calls to the potential suspect and the OPP confirms it visited a home at the request of Ottawa police.
But the company says that is not good enough. It wants to see the investigation reopened with more effort being made to make contact with the person they believe did this.
"They kind of agree with us that they kind of know that's the same person, the same vehicle, but since they don't see the person's face, they don't see the license plate, they cannot go to a judge to get a warrant to get this guy arrested or brought into the station," said Maurice Yelle Excavation health and safety officer Denis Perrault.
A closeup photo of a punctured tire from one of Maurice Yelle Excavation's damaged trucks. (Katie Griffin/CTV News Ottawa)
Saunders says the incident has been frustrating and costly.
"Because it was 12 different vehicles that were damaged, they're claiming that it's 12 separate claims. So, in this case, we would get no reimbursement whatsoever and for a small family business like us, it's not easy to absorb this type of cost," he said.
The company has put up a $10,000 reward for information.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP calls out Conservatives for effort to squash pharmacare legislation
The federal New Democrats are calling out Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his party for trying to block the bill that could pave the way for millions of Canadians to access birth control and diabetes coverage.
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
A subset of Alzheimer's cases may be caused by two copies of a single gene, new research shows
For the first time, researchers have identified a genetic form of late-in-life Alzheimer’s disease — in people who inherit two copies of a worrisome gene.
B.C. court date set for 3 accused of murdering Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three suspects accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year are scheduled to appear in court in Surrey on Tuesday.
Ontario MPP asked again to leave Ontario legislature over keffiyeh, Speaker loosens ban
An Ontario MPP was asked again to leave the Ontario legislature on Monday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that was banned by the Speaker last month due to its political symbolism.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.