One person arrested after Ottawa mayor's office broken into overnight

Ottawa police say one person is in custody after a group of offices used by the staff of Mayor Mark Sutcliffe at Ottawa City Hall was broken into overnight.

"My office at @ottawacity and another part of the building experienced a break-in overnight. Police and city hall security are investigating but it does not appear to be politically motivated," Sutcliffe said on social media.

"Thank you to @OttawaPolice officers and city hall security staff for their immediate and compassionate response."

Sutcliffe told reporters staff discovered the break-in when they arrived at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. Sutcliffe said the mayor's office was broken into, but not his personal office on the second floor. 

"I arrived at City Hall this morning and a couple of members of my staff had just arrived and had discovered that some things were out of place and some doors were open and there were some other items sort of around," he said. "And it appears as though a couple of things were taken, although we're trying to sort through all of that and confirm it."

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Sutcliffe said that although it doesn't appear there was a political motivation behind the break-in, it's still disconcerting.

"It's concerning, obviously, in this political environment. You're always worried about safety and security. And I worry about that not just for myself and my family, but also for my staff, the people who choose to work at City Hall," he said.

The Ottawa Police Service tells CTV News via email that officers were dispatched at approximately 8:30 a.m. in response to a break and enter.  On Tuesday afternoon, an Ottawa police spokesperson said a suspect is now in custody and the investigation continues.

Ottawa's general manager of Emergency and Protective Services confirms the break-in happened overnight.

"The scope of the incident and the damage incurred was minimal. The matter is currently under investigation by the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) and we are unable to share additional details at this time," Kim Ayotte said in a statement to CTV News Ottawa. 

"We thank the security staff at City Hall for their vigilance in responding to this event. We also want to recognize OPS for their quick response and assistance in investigating this matter."

--With files from CTV News Ottawa's Tyler Fleming and Josh Pringle.

Ottawa mayor's office on March 5, 2024 (Tyler Fleming/CTV News Ottawa)