Media Release – January 16, 2026

Winter storm keeps officers busy

Thursday’s winter storm kept Guelph Police Service officers busy throughout the day.

Between 7 a.m. and midnight Thursday, officers responded to 12 collisions and more than 40 reports of vehicles – including cars, trucks and buses -- stuck in deep snow or having difficulty negotiating icy hills. No injuries were reported in any of the collisions.

At 11:20 a.m. officers were dispatched to Wellington Street West and the Hanlon Expressway after a witness reported a man passed out inside a vehicle. Officers spoke to the driver, who had fallen asleep while waiting more than an hour for a tow truck.

The Guelph Police Service would like to encourage the public to slow down, follow the rules of the road and drive according to weather conditions in order to help ensure everyone arrives safely at their destination.

Uber used in bank card scam

The Guelph Police Service is investigating after an Uber driver was unwittingly used to defraud a Guelph woman of nearly $5,000.

On Thursday night, officers spoke to a Guelph woman in her 60s. She advised she received a call from someone claiming to be with her bank’s fraud department and reporting suspicious transactions on her account. The caller instructed the woman to cut her debit and credit cards in half and a courier would come and collect them.

A short time later a man attended the victim’s address and was given an envelope with the cards. Officers spoke to the driver, who explained he works for Uber and received a courier order to collect a package from the victim’s address and deliver it to Toronto.

When he arrived he was met in a parking lot by a male who said he was there to collect the envelope. A short time later the cards were used to withdraw $2,480 and make more than $2,300 in purchases.

The investigation is ongoing.

Residents are encouraged to be wary of any telephone call, email or text which requires you to take immediate action. It is always best to independently contact the supposed sender and confirm the legitimacy of the correspondence before taking action.

Parking lot sledding leads to stunt charge

An Oakville man was charged with stunt driving after officers located a car towing people on sleds Friday morning.

Approximately 12:05 a.m. police responded to a parking lot near York Road and Watson Parkway. They observed a vehicle spinning in circles while two people on sleds were being dragged with ropes. Officers also saw a male riding in the car’s open trunk.

The driver, an 18-year-old Oakville man, is charged with stunt driving. His licence was suspended for 30 days and the vehicle – which belongs to one of the sledders – was impounded for 14 days.

A stunt driving conviction will attract a minimum licence suspension of one year, a minimum fine of $2,000 and six demerit points.

Total calls for service in the last 24 hours - 264