Efforts by the Community Crime Unit (CCU) and high-quality video surveillance provided by local businesses have led to the arrest of two people accused of stealing from multiple establishments.
The CCU received an online report on November 18 after two suspects allegedly stole $276 worth of merchandise from a London Road retailer.
On December 3, the CCU received a report of an alleged dine-and-dash from a London Road restaurant, located between Murphy Road and Indian Road North.
Both businesses were able to provide photos of the suspects. Restaurant employees also provided a photo of the vehicle the two drove, a white Toyota Rav4 with unattached plates.
The CCU received another report on December 7 after the same vehicle was seen at a Plank Road gas station. It's alleged $53 worth of gas was stolen.
CCU investigators reviewed the images and identified the suspects as a 38-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman, believed to live in Brigden.
OPP spotted the suspects' vehicle in Brigden on December 8 and conducted a traffic stop. The two suspects were arrested and transferred to the Sarnia Police Service.
The male suspect was charged with two counts of theft not exceeding $5,000 and two counts of failure to comply with probation. He was also arrested on an outstanding warrant for a retail theft reported in August.
The Sarnia Police Service (SPS) said this was his 29th interaction with police since December 2024, which included six arrests and 11 charges.
The female suspect was charged with two counts of theft not exceeding $5,000.
Sarnia police said more charges may be laid as the investigation is ongoing.
The CCU was launched in 2023 as part of a partnership with the SPS and Lambton College.
Lambton College students, under the supervision of an experienced police investigator, work to solve lower priority crimes such as theft and shoplifting. Cases are turned over to officers, who then make the arrests and lay appropriate charges.
