(OPP photo)
A Belleville man who claimed he was abducted at gunpoint earlier this year is now facing charges after police determined the report was false.
On Monday, March 17, members of the Upper Ottawa Valley (UOV) OPP responded to a report from a delivery driver in South Algonquin Township. The man told police he had been held at gunpoint by a man and a woman in Brundell-Lyndoch-Raglan Township.
According to the report, the alleged suspects entered his delivery van and traveled with him across several roads before fleeing on foot. The OPP launched an extensive search using its Emergency Response Team and Canine Unit, but no suspects were found.
After a detailed investigation involving the OPP Crime Unit and Forensic Identification Services, officers concluded that the story had been fabricated.
As a result, 30-year-old Jean-Luc Thibeau of Belleville has been charged with public mischief. Thibeau was released from custody and is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Pembroke on July 7.
The OPP reminds the public that filing false reports ties up important police resources and can result in serious legal consequences.
(Written by: Emma Butler)