A 29-year-old individual has been arrested following a shoplifting incident that turned violent in Laurentian Valley Township.
On the evening of September 8, 2024, police responded to a report of a shoplifting in progress. The suspect attempted to leave a retail store with a cart full of unpaid items. When confronted by two private citizens, the individual sprayed them with an irritant before fleeing on foot. Both citizens sustained minor injuries and were taken to the hospital. A search by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), including the Emergency Response Team and a Canine Unit, was unsuccessful in locating the suspect at the time.
On September 13, 2024, Codie Dufault, 29, of Whitewater Region, was arrested and charged with two counts of assault with a weapon, two counts of breach of recognizance, and theft under $5,000. Dufault remains in custody pending a bail hearing scheduled for September 20, 2024, at the Ontario Court of Justice.
(Written by: Emma Butler)