A St. Thomas man is in custody after allegedly breaking into a North Bay home.
According to a news release, between March 2025 and June 2025, the accused attended a North Bay residence on numerous occasions and surveyed the occupant’s behaviour and patterns. On May 31st, he allegedly entered the victim’s residence and stole the keys to the victim’s vehicle. He then stole the vehicle from the driveway.
The police were contacted and on June 1st, at around 10:15 am, the vehicle was spotted by a North Bay Police Service Officer in the area of Fisher Street and Third Avenue East. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle, at which time it fled the area at a high rate of speed. The officer did not pursue the vehicle due to public safety.
When the accused got to the area of First Avenue East, he maneuvered the vehicle onto the Kate Pace Way and drove down the pedestrian pathway at a high rate of speed, before crashing through a barricade to get back onto the road at Second Avenue East. The accused then drove the damaged vehicle to Hardy Street, where he abandoned it, and fled on foot. Police located and arrested the accused on Brookes Street.
The victim’s vehicle and the barricade on the Kate Pace Way both sustained significant damage. No one was injured during this incident.
A 36-year-old Brandon Burch is charged with:
- Criminal Harassment
- Break, Enter and Commit Theft
- Theft of Motor Vehicle
- Flight From Police
- Fail to Stop After a Collision
- Dangerous Operation
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000
- Mischief Over $5000
- Mischief Under $5000
- Fail to Comply with Probation Order
- Fail to Remain (Highway Traffic Act)
- Careless Driving (HTA)
- Drive Motor Vehicle – No License (HTA)
- Drive While Under Suspension X 2 (HTA)
The accused and the victim are not known to each other. The accused was held in custody for a bail hearing.
