Timmins councillor wants community safety to be council's top priority
Break-ins have become a problem at McDonald's Guardian Pharmacy and Variety Store is located in South Porcupine's downtown area.
People who work there said the business has been broken into seven times over the past four years -- and three of those instances have been in the past two weeks.
“Each instance is being investigated by the Timmins Police Service," said Marc Depatie, communications coordinator for the Timmins Police Service.
“We haven’t fully determined whether or not one person is responsible or if this is a number of persons who’ve decided to target this particular business in South Porcupine.”
To harden the target, the owner is installing bars on the doors and windows.
This situation makes Timmins councillor Steve Black want to do what he can to make Timmins a safer place. He brought up the issue of community safety at a recent council meeting and said he'll be proposing some resolutions.
“I’m working on them. There’s going to be some for enhanced coverage on the policing side. There’s going to be some for the province for changes to the criminal justice side," Black said.
"There’s going to be some asks for additional city support in this area and keeping our downtown areas clean and safe, as well."
In the meantime, he said he wants to hear from more business owners and residents about their experiences with crime. Timmins police officials said they do, as well.
“We strongly urge that any suspicious activity that you notice in your neighborhood or in the business community ... should be reported to police for investigation," said Depatie.
"We are endowed with certain authorities that allow us to interrogate persons and determine the legitimacy why they’re at a given location.”
Black said community safety should be the No. 1 priority for the current council.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.