MUSKOKA CENTRE UNDER WATCH AFTER 4 CHARGED WITH B&E, THEFT
GRAVENHURST — Police are doing more patrols around the former Muskoka Centre mental health residence after four people were charged last week with break and enter.
Government workers have now replaced hoarding on the Lake Muskoka property that were torn down by trespassers who are also accused of theft.
Police say officers responded to a complaint at noon Sunday Nov. 8.
The property at the north end of the main street is closed and gated with signs posting it as off limits to the public.
Officers found boards on several windows had been removed allowing burglars to get in one of the buildings and items were being removed.
Three of four suspects were located and arrested:
- Brad Tunney, 20, of Acton;
- Jillian Annett, 18, of Caledon;
- Sean Laws, 18, of Georgetown
They were charged with Break, Enter a Place with Intent CC 348(1)(a), Possession of Break In Instruments CC 351(1), Mischief CC 430(1)(a), Theft Under $5000 CC 334(b) and Fail to Comply with Probation CC 733.1(1).
The fourth suspect, who was later identified as Jamie Hilts, 21, of Halton Hills, turned himself in on Nov. 9 and faces the same charges.
All four accused are to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Bracebridge Jan. 12, 2021.
The property, located next to one of the OPP’s canine training centres, has been broken into and vandalized many times since being closed by the province in the mid-1990s.
And despite several attempts to sell its 70s acres, including for a couple of private schools, it remains in government hands.
The province recently said it will re-list the old San TB hospital on the open market with fewer development restrictions.
See this stupid old YouTube video tour, below, of the derelict main building, produced by a couple of thrill-seeking, exaggerating amateur vandals. It was produced by something called SmashTV Canada.
It shows just how badly it has been left to decay.
