Charges laid in theft of excavator, trailers in Gravenhurst, Muskoka Lakes

GRAVENHURST — A Township of Mono man faces three charges of theft over $5,000 after a mini-excavator and trailer were stolen in Gravenhurst and a utility trailer in Muskoka Lakes Township.

A trailer and tools were reported stolen in Georgian Bay Nov. 7, say the OPP in an apparently unrelated theft to the two in Gravenhurst, Muskoka Lakes. See details further below in story, on this theft. 

Provincial police in Bracebridge and Dufferin County combined services to make the arrest and lay charges.

They say that between October 24 and October 25 a mini excavator and industrial trailer valued at approximately $60,000 were stolen from Industrial Drive in Gravenhurst, Ontario.

An investigation conducted by the Dufferin County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Community Street Crime Unit (CSCU) with the assistance of the Bracebridge OPP CSCU led to the execution of a search warrant in the Township of Mono on November 6,  where the stolen property was recovered.

In addition to the excavator and industrial trailer, an enclosed utility trailer that was stolen from Muskoka Lakes Township in March, 2018 was also located.

As a result of this investigation, Richard McMullen, 38, of Mono Township has been charged with the following offences:

Three (3) counts of possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000

The accused was released on a Promise to Appear at the Orangeville Ontario Court of Justice on the December 11, 2018 to answer to these charges.

Meanwhile, in an apparently unrelated theft, Southern Georgian Bay OPP are also looking into the theft of an enclosed maintenance trailer and tools in Georgian Bay Township.

It was reported stolen Nov. 7.

Police there say an area contractor contacted police to report the theft of his trailer and it’s contents from a job site on Lake Road between 6 p.m. November 6, and 9 a.m. November 7.

The single axle Strm trailer is gray in colour , bearing VIN #2S9EA21209H119018 and Ontario plate # R1110Z.

The trailer also contained a John Deere D130 tractor, Champion 5500 generator and various hand tools valued at over $50,000.

This investigation is currently ongoing and investigators are asking that anyone with information about this incident to please contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or visit Crime Stoppers at http://www.p3tips.com/ or call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). For more information about Crime Stoppers please view www.crimestopperssdm.com.