A 26-year-old man is in custody for allegedly robbing someone after trying to strike up a conversation.

Windsor police said the male victim was carrying a backpack in the area of Janette Avenue and Wyandotte Street West early Tuesday morning when he was approached by the suspect.

According to the victim, the suspect began walking with him — trying to talk with him and asking for a cigarette.

At the overpass east of Crawford Avenue, the suspect allegedly said he was armed with a knife and ordered the victim to put down the backpack and leave.

The victim did as the robber said, then called police a short while later.

Officers attended around 6 a.m. and obtained a description of the robber from the victim. It didn’t take long for them to locate the suspect nearby.

There was a brief foot chase that ended with the suspect under arrest.

The backpack was recovered and returned to the victim.

A robbery charge against the suspect is pending.

The season for giving is also the season for stealing — as personified by a Windsor crook who broke into a downtown area apartment building in search of Christmas parcels and money in the mail.

The crime happened during the early morning hours of Dec. 17 in the 500 block of Riverside Drive West.

Security cameras recorded the male thief as he forced open the front door of the building around 3 a.m.

Once inside, the man scoured the lobby for things to steal. He opened residents’ mail and took a package.

He also raided the apartment’s basement parking area — entering at least two vehicles and taking several items.

A still image from a security camera recording of a man who broke into an apartment building in the 500 block of Riverside Drive West. (Handout / The Windsor Star)

Anyone with information about this incident or this individual is encouraged to contact the Target Based Unit at 519-255-6700 ext. 4350.

Anonymous tips can be submitted via Crime Stoppers at 519-258-8477 or www.catchcrooks.com.

Windsor police are seeking a motorist who allegedly brandished a knife and slashed a tire in an ugly case of road rage in south Windsor on Tuesday afternoon.

The incident began shortly before 3:45 p.m. on Cabana Road. The complainant said he was driving west and was just past Provincial Road when he was cut off by a black Pontiac coupe.

Angered, the driver followed the Pontiac closely for about 40 seconds.

As the two vehicles approached the intersection with Howard Avenue, the Pontiac abruptly stopped in the street.

The driver who’d been tailgating — and was still upset about being cut off — gave the Pontiac the finger.

At that point, the Pontiac driver got out of his vehicle and began walking toward the complainant’s vehicle — armed with a large hunting knife.

Traffic had backed up behind the complainant’s vehicle and there was no room to reverse. The complainant exited his vehicle and fled on foot from the approaching man.

The suspect at first ran after the complainant, then stopped at the complainant’s vehicle and allegedly yelled: “You think you’re tough now?”

Now some distance away, the complainant replied: “Hey man, it’s Christmas. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

The suspect turned to the complainant’s vehicle and used his knife to damage a tire.

He then quickly returned to his Pontiac and sped off in an erratic manner.

The car is described as a two-door G5 or G6. The complainant was only able to get a partial plate number: BRXE 3**.

The knife-wielding suspect is described as a white male who appeared to be in his early to mid-20s.

He looked to be 5’10” to 6′ in height, has a skinny build, brown hair in a brush cut, and crooked yellow teeth.

At the time of the crime, he was wearing a baggy, brown, three-quarter-length winter coat, blue jeans and white shoes.

Anyone who witnessed this incident or knows those involved is encouraged to contact investigators at 519-255-6700 ext. 4305.

Anonymous tips can be submitted via Crime Stoppers at 519-258-8477 or www.catchcrooks.com.

A Windsor woman is counting herself lucky after an apparent would-be purse snatcher gave up and apologized on Wednesday morning.

The incident happened before 8 a.m. on Dufferin Place around Ellis Street East. The victim said she was walking when she was approached by an older male.

According to the woman, the strange man hesitated — then grabbed her purse with both hands.

The woman resisted and tightened her grip on the purse.

The robber then put his hands up and apologized, claiming that he had mistaken the woman for someone else.

The man continued apologizing as he backed away.

The victim walked south to Shepherd Street East, then contacted police.

The suspect is described as a white male who appeared to be in his mid-50s.

He has a thin build and wavy brown hair. At the time of the incident, he was wearing jeans and only a light T-shirt.

Anyone with information about this incident or individual is encouraged to contact police at 519-255-6700 ext. 4305.

Anonymous tips can be submitted via Crime Stoppers at 519-258-8477 or www.catchcrooks.com.

An alleged robber is facing several charges after threatening to kill a store clerk then getting scared off by some customers.

Windsor police received a call around 5:20 p.m. Sunday about a robbery at a Mac’s convenience store in the 300 block of Mill Street. A man had entered the store demanding cash and cigarettes. According to investigators, he also said he had a gun and threatened to kill the clerk if the police were called. No one actually saw a gun.

He fled when several customers walked into the store. Officers watched the store’s video surveillance and were able to identify the robber. Police went to a home in the 200 block of Bridge Avenue around 9 p.m. and arrested the suspect.

Mario Veltri, 35, is charged with robbery, uttering threats, failure to comply with condition of judicial release and failure to comply with condition of undertaking to officer.

Windsor police are looking for a knife-wielding robber who wore checkered pajama pants when he hit a corner store on the east side over the weekend.

The incident happened at the Mac’s convenience store at 4675 Seminole St. shortly before 5:15 a.m. on Sunday.

A male in a hooded winter jacket entered the store and went behind the counter to confront the cashier.

The criminal had done up the hood of the jacket to partially hide his face.

He was armed with a large kitchen knife and demanded money.

After taking a small quantity of cash, he left the store and was last seen walking east towards Pillette Road.

A security camera image of someone who robbed the Mac’s convenience store in the 4600 block of Seminole Street on Jan. 4, 2015. (Handout / The Windsor Star)

A security camera image of someone who robbed the Mac’s convenience store in the 4600 block of Seminole Street on Jan. 4, 2015. (Handout / The Windsor Star)

The robber is described as a white male, perhaps 5’9″ in height, with a slender build.

At the time of the crime, he wore a black jacket with fur-lined hood, blue checkered pajama pants, and tan moccasin-style footwear.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to call police at 519-255-6700 ext. 4305, or make an anonymous tip via Crime Stoppers at 519-258-8477 (catchcrooks.com).

dchen@windsorstar.com

Detroit’s total number of homicides in 2014 was the lowest the city has seen since 1967 — but it was still 100 times higher than Windsor’s tally.

At a news conference on annual crime statistics on Tuesday, Detroit Police Chief James Craig said there were 300 homicides in Detroit last year — down from 332 in 2013.

Detroit Police Chief James Craig in a Dec. 2013 file photo. (Associated Press)

Craig also pointed to a 16 per cent overall reduction in serious criminal incidents in Detroit, which exceeded his goal of a 10 per cent reduction.

According to Craig — who vowed sweeping reform of the DPD at the start of 2014 — the year-end numbers have been reflected in a change in public perception on crime in Detroit.

“People feel safer,” Craig said. “They see the changes in our police department, in our response.”

Non-fatal shootings went from 1,161 to 1,054.

Robberies dropped from 2,888 to 1,928. Carjackings fell from 782 to 545.

Burglaries went from 13,277 to 10,725. Auto thefts went from 12,594 to 10,564.

The only category that had an increase was aggravated assaults, which rose from 8,854 to 9,302.

All told, violent crimes in Detroit decreased by six per cent and property crimes decreased by 41 per cent.

The scene of a fatal shooting in Detroit on Apr. 7, 2014. (David Coates / Detroit News)

Craig said the figures are further evidence of a steady decline in Detroit crime over the past three years.

The chief noted that the majority of Detroit homicides involve people who know each other — which he feels is very different from someone shooting a stranger in an act of random violence.

“That’s not the case. Not according to our data,” Craig said.

But Craig emphasized that “we still have work to do.”

Windsor police spokesman Sgt. Matthew D’Asti said Windsor’s annual crime statistics typically aren’t compiled and presented to the WPS board until February.

However, D’Asti confirmed the number of homicides in Windsor in 2014: Three.

The U.S. Census estimated Detroit’s 2013 population at 688,701.

Windsor’s most recent census data, from 2011, put our population at 319,246.

A Detroit police officer looks for evidence at the scene of a drive-by shooting on Oct. 2, 2014. (David Coates / Detroit News)

dchen@windsorstar.com

A 33-year-old Chatham man is facing charges after he allegedly struggled with police — and ended up on the receiving end of a Taser.

Chatham-Kent police said they were called around 9:30 p.m. Monday about a male suspect who looked like he was trying to break into vehicles in the area of Harvey Street in Chatham.

Officers arrived to find a man crouching next to a car with a bag full of tools. He appeared to be intoxicated and was attempting to pry open one of the car’s doors.

Police went to arrest the suspect, but he violently pulled away and stood with his fists clenched.

According to police, the man refused to follow orders and continued to resist by swinging his arms and kicking his legs.

An officer then used a Taser weapon to subdue the suspect.

The man was apprehended. A search of his person uncovered a quantity of methamphetamine.

As of Tuesday morning, police said the accused remained in custody, but would be released when sober. He’s due to appear in court on charges of intoxication in a public place, resisting arrest, and possession of methamphetamine

Two males who were allegedly caught on video stealing a motorcycle from a towing yard have turned themselves over to Windsor police — accompanied by their parental figures.

Police said the two suspects — one 19, the other 20 — will face charges in connection with the incident that happened at the Myers property at 3300 Marentette Ave. on Dec. 30.

Last week, police released excerpts from security video recordings that showed two males working in darkness to remove a Yamaha motorcycle from a shed on the property.

The faces and clothing of the culprits were visible in the images, which were recorded in night vision.

Police said the younger suspect — the 19-year-old male — showed up at Windsor police headquarters several hours after the release of the images on Jan. 2.

The suspect was accompanied by his stepfather. He told police he was who they wanted for the incident. He was arrested without trouble.

The second suspect — the 20-year-old male — went to Windsor police headquarters on Tuesday.

He was also accompanied by his parents, and was arrested without trouble.

According to police, both suspects saw themselves on social media as the security video images were circulated.

The two accused are due to be charged with breaking and entering, and theft.

Anyone with more information about this incident is encouraged to contact investigators at 519-255-6700 ext. 4350, or make an anonymous tip via Crime Stoppers (www.catchcrooks.com) at 519-258-8477.

The fugitive had run the border in a stolen truck and he was likely armed, and Rob Ouellette was staring him in the face.

As Windsor police flooded the city’s west end looking for a border runner Wednesday afternoon, Ouellette was on the other side of town eating lunch and being pestered by a strange man for a ride.

Ouellette, vaguely aware of the manhunt, said the person made him uneasy. He listened to his gut and called police to get a description of the fugitive.

“They asked me if by any chance he was wearing a Michigan sweater,” said Ouellette, a trucker who lives in McGregor. “When she said that, I almost puked. I’m like, that’s him. I just knew. They described him to me and I was like, what the hell, how do I have him here?”

Thanks to Ouellette, Windsor police arrested the man and he was in the custody of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) Wednesday night. Officials haven’t released any information about the man, including where he was headed or if he was wanted in the U.S. There was also no word on what charges the man is facing.

The U.S. citizen sparked a manhunt when he allegedly fled from the border at the Ambassador Bridge, ditched the stolen truck he was driving and took off on foot. Not long after, he somehow appeared at the Husky truck stop on County Road 46.

Police said they initially had information the man was “possibly armed,” but officers didn’t find a weapon when they arrested him.

The man crossed the bridge into Windsor around 1 p.m. in a blue pickup truck that was allegedly stolen in Michigan. He was ordered to go to secondary inspection. Instead, he took off. After he fled from customs officers and abandoned the truck, he was last seen running near Huron Church Road and Girardot Avenue.

Police fanned out in search of the man. They put the west end on alert. Westview Freedom Academy, Marlborough Public School, Assumption College and the Catholic Education Centre were all put into “hold and secure” mode. There were also reported sightings of the man at the downtown bus terminal.

A couple hours later, Ouellette stopped at the Husky for lunch while getting his rig fixed. He checked out Facebook to see what was going on. Windsor police had issued an alert that they were searching for a man who fled from the border. The bulletin Ouellette read didn’t give a description of the fugitive.

Around 3:30 p.m., a man in a Michigan sweater walked into the restaurant.

“A guy came up and sat down, sat sideways in a chair, which is kind of weird to me,” said Ouellette. “He seemed out of place. He sat sideways like he was on guard about something.”

The man started asking people for a ride to London or Ottawa. He told everyone his wife had kicked him out of the car.

“He said he got into an argument with his wife and she dropped him off, and his daughter lives in Ottawa and he wants to get there,” said Ouellette.

No one offered him a ride. There was something strange about him. He was fidgety, on edge. The man continued to hang around. He said he was willing to wait for a ride.

Ouellette remembered the story about the border runner. He didn’t know what the person looked like, but his instincts told him something wasn’t right about the man asking for a ride.

“He was just kind of weird.”

Ouellette called the Windsor police non-emergency line, hoping to get a description. The officer who answered the phone asked if the man was wearing a Michigan sweater. Ouellette suddenly felt sick to his stomach. He said yes.

The officer told him police were on the way. As Ouellette stood there waiting for officers to arrive, an image of his baby boy popped into his head. His son Jackson was born three months early on Sept. 21.

“Stay the hell away,” Ouellette told himself. “They said he might be armed. I got a little baby at home and I’m like I gotta get home for him, so I’m going to stay away from this guy and keep myself safe. That was my number one thing. Then all the people inside – what if something happens to them? So I just went to the gas bar and told the employee what was going on.”

Two officers arrived around 4 p.m. They came around the back of the building and asked Ouellette where the man was. He pointed in the right direction.

“They went in after him right away,” said Ouellette. “Obviously he’s on the run, he’s going to try to get away again. He had no clue they were coming for him though. He thought he was in the clear, I guess. Then a whole bunch more cops showed up, threw him the paddy wagon and took off.”

Windsor Police take a man into custody at Husky Truck Stop on County Road 46 following a day-long manhunt, Wednesday January 7, 2015. (NICK BRANCACCIO/The Windsor Star)

Trucker Rob Ouellette assisted Windsor Police after coming face-to-face with a potentially dangerous wanted man at Husky Truck Stop on County Road 46 Wednesday January 7, 2015. (NICK BRANCACCIO/The Windsor Star)

Windsor Police at Husky Truck Stop on County Road 46 following the arrest of a man wanted for running the U.S. Canada border, Wednesday January 7, 2015. (NICK BRANCACCIO/The Windsor Star)

Windsor Police take a man into custody at Husky Truck Stop on County Road 46 following a day-long manhunt, Wednesday January 7, 2015. (NICK BRANCACCIO/The Windsor Star)

Windsor Police take a man into custody at Husky Truck Stop on County Road 46 following a day-long manhunt, Wednesday January 7, 2015. (NICK BRANCACCIO/The Windsor Star)

Trucker Rob Ouellette spoke to a potentially dangerous wanted man in restaurant at Husky Truck Stop on County Road 46 Wednesday January 7, 2015. The man was looking for a ride out of town, but Ouellette happened to notice an alert by WPD and gave them a call. (NICK BRANCACCIO/The Windsor Star)

Windsor police arrested an alleged border runner at the Husky truck stop on Jan. 7, 2015. (Nick Brancaccio/The Windsor Star)

A 42-year-old Windsor woman is facing charges after she allegedly tried to steal several items from the family locker-room of Adventure Bay water park and a downtown hotel.

Terri Adams has been charged with theft under $5,000.

The incidents took place on Tuesday night. Police were called around 9 p.m. to the aquatic centre at 401 Pitt St. W.

A female employee told officers there were complaints from patrons earlier that evening about missing items.

Later, in the family locker area, the employee saw a woman going through people’s stuff.

There was a verbal confrontation, with the woman eventually exiting the building — leaving behind a pair of black boots that turned out to belong to someone else.

A member of the public took a picture of the woman while she was arguing with the employee. The photo was turned over to police.

Around 11 p.m., police received another call about a theft — this time at a hotel in the 200 block of Riverside Drive West.

Officers arrived to find that hotel staff were detaining a woman they’d found going through drawers in the establishment’s main restaurant area.

The woman was also carrying a bag that contained hotel property.

When officers arrested the woman, they recognized her from the photo at Adventure Bay. They also found items in her bag that they believe were from the theft at the water park.

If you were at Adventure Bay on Tuesday night, and you believe something was stolen from you, contact officers at 519-255-6700 ext. 4305.

Are you missing something from your garage freezer? Two teenage males are facing charges after they dropped frozen food as a Windsor police K-9 unit followed them from a break-in on the east side.

The incident began around 1:30 a.m. in the area of Arthur Road and Tecumseh Road East. A member of the public had noticed two young men looking into people’s back yards and hopping a fence.

Officers — including one with a police dog — started searching the area.

At 1:55 a.m., the K-9 officer was driving when he spotted two males walking along the fence line in McDonald Park, next to the 2400 block of George Avenue.

The officer closed in on the teens at Ypres Boulevard. They both made a run for it, prompting the officer to turn on his emergency lights and yell at them to stop.

When the officer announced that he had a dog, one of the pair halted. The other male kept running — dropping a package of frozen food as he fled.

The first male admitted to the officer that they’d broken into a garage. The suspect was carrying a bag that contained several frozen food items and a small quantity of marijuana.

The officer’s dog began tracking the second male. A scent was picked up in the 2400 block of George Avenue and followed all the way into Ypres Park.

The officer could see someone running in the darkness of the park. He ordered the person to stop. The teen complied and was arrested.

The first male — an 18-year-old Lakeshore resident — will be charged with possession of stolen property and possession of marijuana.

The second male — a 19-year-old Windsor resident — will be charged with possession of stolen property.

Police aren’t revealing the exact nature of the frozen food items in the hope that the rightful owner of the property will come forward. The garage that was broken into also contained a silver or grey Ford Mustang.

If you live near the neighbourhoods mentioned and believe your garage was burglarized, contact police at 519-255-6700 ext. 4350.

Anonymous tips can be submitted via Crime Stoppers at 519-258-8477 or www.catchcrooks.com.

A blaze that broke out overnight at The Original Pizza Brothers was intentional, say Windsor fire investigators.

Firefighters were called to the pizza business at 1129 Wyandotte St. E. shortly after 12 a.m. Thursday morning.

The flames were extinguished quickly. Damage has been estimated at $10,000.

Another business in a different unit of the building — Lebanese eatery Al-Sabeel Restaurant — was not affected.

Authorities consider the incident suspicious. An investigation has determined that the fire was deliberately set.

Windsor police arson officers are continuing to look into the case.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to call investigators at 519-255-6700 ext. 4330.

Anonymous tips can be submitted via Crime Stoppers at 519-258-8477 or www.catchcrooks.com.

The address has a history of fire incidents. In August 2006, when the tenant was a butcher shop called The Red Snapper, a midnight blaze caused an estimated $100,000 in damage.

After the unit was repaired, it became a pizza business under a different name — Zaatar & Zeit Pizzeria.

In January 2008, the place went up in flames again. This time, damage was pegged at $60,000.

The business owner at the time blamed the incident on a problem with the wood-burning oven. But fire investigators said the blaze was intentionally set. The matter was turned over to police.

Firefighters finish dealing with a blaze at 1129 Wyandotte St. E. on Jan. 2, 2008, when the address was Zaatar & Zeit Pizzeria. (Dan Janisse / The Windsor Star)

A military-grade rifle, a handgun, ecstasy and opiates were seized by Windsor police in a raid on the residence of a convicted robber earlier this week.

Acting on information from the drugs and guns unit, tactical team members executed a search warrant on an apartment in the 1200 block of Wyandotte Street East around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.

One of the firearms found was a modified SKS 7.62X39 mm semi-automatic rifle.

The weapon is based on an old Soviet military carbine, but upgraded with modern cosmetics such as an adjustable stock and foregrip.

Although the seized rifle appears to be equipped with a high-capacity magazine, the manufacturer of the added features — TAPCO — also makes five-round magazines in that style.

Canadian gun laws prohibit rifle magazines that carry more than five rounds.

Also seized in the raid on Tuesday was a .22 calibre revolver with 94 rounds of ammunition, MDMA tablets, and Hydromorph Contin pills — an opiate that’s considered twice as potent as OxyContin.

Zoltan Zoldi is shown in a 2012 Facebook image.

The occupant of the residence — 22-year-old Zoltan Zoldi — was home at the time. He was arrested without incident.

Zoldi has been charged with two counts of possessing a firearm without a licence. Police said more charges are pending in relation to guns, drugs, and breach of conditions.

As of Thursday afternoon, the accused remained in custody.

Zoldi was convicted three years ago at the age of 19 for a series of muggings he and three other teenage males committed while driving around Windsor in a minivan.

On the night of July 5, 2011, Zoldi and his friends crossed the city attacking and robbing random pedestrians — leaving four victims by the end of the spree.

Zoldi pleaded guilty to three counts of robbery and was sentenced to 15 months jail.

Zoltan Zoldi (centre) is shown in a 2012 Facebook image.

In August 2013, Zoldi was again arrested in connection with a robbery — this time an alleged home invasion on California Avenue.

Zoldi and an accomplice allegedly threatened and robbed a male student resident — holding a knife to his throat, striking him in the head with a gun butt, and eventually tying him up with extension cord.

The 2013 case has yet to be resolved. Zoldi initially faced 13 charges — including break and enter, assault with a weapon, forcible confinement, and possession of a firearm while prohibited.

Windsor police spokesman Sgt. Matthew D’Asti said WPS has requested that Zoldi be held in custody on his latest charges.

Asked why Zoldi was out of custody — and apparently well armed — given his unresolved charges and history of violent crime, D’Asti said it’s a question WPS can’t answer.

“That’s a question for the judiciary. We did our job … We do the best that we can for our community, as always,” D’Asti said.

“We make arrests, we file charges, and it goes to court. It’s a process, as we all know. We can make recommendations or suggestions.”

D’Asti said that when Zoldi was arrested and charged in August 2013, WPS also recommended at that time that he be held in custody.

dchen@windsorstar.com

Financial crime investigators with the Chatham-Kent Police Service say a man who claimed to be investing the money of his elderly clients was in reality defrauding them for years.

Richard Mahon, 67, of Chatham, has been charged with fraud and criminal breach of trust in relation to nine victims — most of them ranging in age from 70 to 90.

Mahon owned and operated businesses under the names of Ric Mahon Financial and Tax Back Ventures. He had office space at 785 St. Clair St. in Chatham.

According to police, Mahon was personally using funds that had been entrusted to him by his clients.

The investigation found that the crimes date back to 2006. The total amount involved exceeds $1.1 million.

Mahon was located and arrested by Chatham police on Wednesday.

He faces nine counts of fraud over $5,000 and nine counts of criminal breach of trust.

He was awaiting a bail hearing on Thursday.

The case of a U.S. man who fled border guards on our side of the bridge will be handled by the Canada Border Services Agency — not Windsor police.

Windsor police spokesman Sgt. Matthew D’Asti said that although WPS arrested the man with the help of OPP on Wednesday afternoon, he has since been turned over to CBSA for processing.

“There are no Windsor police charges, per se, but there will be charges coming from the CBSA,” D’Asti said. “It’s their investigation.”

As of Thursday afternoon, the man remained in CBSA custody.

The public was put on alert shortly after 1 p.m. Wednesday when the man — a U.S. citizen — fled from the secondary inspection area on the Canadian side of the Ambassador Bridge.

Authorities learned that the blue pickup truck the man had driven across the border was stolen.

He abandoned the vehicle and was seen running west of Huron Church Road and Girardot Avenue.

A member of the public later spotted the man asking for rides at the Husky Station on County Road 46.

The citizen contacted police, who quickly arrived and apprehended the subject.

Asked how the man managed to reach the Husky Station with no vehicle, D’Asti said police believe he either took a taxi or obtained a ride from a member of the public.

The man was initially flagged as “possibly armed,” but D’Asti said no weapons were found on his person or in the vehicle.

D’Asti said WPS will not be releasing the man’s name, as the case is now the purview of CBSA.

dchen@windsorstar.com

The mother of a robbery victim may have scared off the culprit by activating her car alarm while the crime was in progress on Thursday night.

The incident happened around 8:10 p.m. on Partington Avenue just north of Wyandotte Street West.

Windsor police said the victim — a 20-year-old woman — was with her mother and their parked vehicle at the time.

The mother was in the driver’s seat while her daughter was outside the vehicle putting a bag into the back seat.

It was at that moment that the daughter heard a male voice say: “Excuse me, give me your wallet.”

She turned to see a hooded man with a blue scarf hiding his face, holding what looked like a black handgun that he was pointing at the ground.

He was also carrying a black and red gym bag.

The victim handed over a small quantity of cash.

At the same time this was happening, the victim’s mother — who heard the robber’s utterance while she was seated in the vehicle — turned on the car alarm.

Having received the cash, the man fled on foot in a westward direction from Partington Avenue, toward an alley behind a commercial building on the north side of Wyandotte Street West.

No one was hurt.

Windsor police spokesman Const. Andrew Drouillard said the mother’s action may have had a positive outcome in this situation, but he stopped short of recommending it — given the presence of the firearm.

“It’s hard to say … I’m not sure if that (car alarm) was the only reason he got spooked,” Drouillard said. “Considering the weapon, it was a dangerous situation. We don’t encourage people to confront (criminals).”

Anyone with more information about this incident is encouraged to contact police at 519-255-6700 ext. 4305.

Anonymous tips can be submitted via Crime Stoppers at 519-258-8477  or www.catchcrooks.com.

Two Chatham residents are facing drug charges after police discovered an estimated $166,000 worth of marijuana at an address on Delaware Avenue in Chatham.

Some of contraband seized by Chatham-Kent police in a raid on Jan. 13, 2015. (Handout / The Windsor Star)

Intelligence officers and a police dog participated in the raid, which happened on Tuesday.

Along with the drugs, police seized close to $3,200 in Canadian cash, $500 in U.S. cash, digital scales and other marijuana production gear.

The two occupants were arrested without incident.

A 27-year-old Chatham man has been charged with possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking and production of cannabis resin.

A 26-year-old Chatham woman has been handed identical charges.

Both accused have been released with conditions, pending future court dates.

Digital scales and baggies of marijuana seized by Chatham-Kent police in a raid on Jan. 13, 2015. (Handout / The Windsor Star)

A pair of Leamington minors will face a whopping 37 charges of mischief after OPP arrested them in connection with a rash of crude graffiti tags.

According to police, the spree spread across Leamington’s core starting in mid-December — usually involving the same “obscene” logo with “negative wordings towards some authority figures.”

Numerous private and public buildings were defaced, including municipally owned property and schools.

Total damage has been estimated at $14,000.

OPP described the tags as “very poor quality” and “vulgar” — but not gang-related.

Officers patrolled downtown Leamington streets to find those responsible, eventually coming across two young males with spray cans of blue paint.

The most recent tagging incident involved blue paint.

When the officers examined the boys’ school books and personal belongings, they found artwork and wordings similar to the graffiti in question.

The names of the two accused can’t be published due to the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

They’ve both been charged with 37 counts of mischief under $5,000.

Insp. Glenn Miller of Essex County OPP said graffiti vandals need to understand that what they’re doing is a criminal offence.

“As with other property-related crimes, we take offences to public property very seriously and will vigorously pursue those responsible,” he said.

A Calgary graffiti artist uses spray paint on a wall in this 2009 file photo. (Sarah McGinnis / Calgary Herald)

dchen@windsorstar.com

A Windsor man is facing child pornography charges after police raided his residence and seized his computers.

Members of the Windsor police Internet Child Exploitation unit executed a search warrant on the man’s address on Wednesday.

Attending officers took a laptop computer, a desktop computer and a smartphone as evidence.

According to police, the unit has been investigating the accused since Dec. 31.

Brian Dupuis, 47, has been charged with accessing and possessing child pornography.