Police track down suspect in most Canadian way — footprints in the snow
Man found with cannabis now faces charges for possessing drugs and stolen property.
It didn’t take long for officers with the Brockville Police Service (BPS) to track down a suspect who had earlier fled an attempted traffic stop and was later found with stolen goods and drugs, including cannabis.
The officers attempted a traffic stop at about 2 a.m. on Feb. 3, but the SUV driver failed to comply, opting instead to flee the scene.
Officers had no problem safely following the fresh tire tracks to the vehicle, which they discovered had slipped off the road into a ditch outside of the city, notes an incident report from the BPS.
Although the tire tracks to the unoccupied vehicle obviously ended, the officers simply carried on by following footprints in the snow that led to an RV parked on the property of a nearby residence.
The 35-year-old man was subsequently found hiding inside the RV. He was arrested and charged with possession of cannabis for the purpose of distributing, driving a vehicle with cannabis readily available, possession of crystal meth, flight from police, unlawfully being in a dwelling, trespass by night, possession of a credit card that was not his own, possession of counterfeit money, and driving while under suspension, the BPS reports.
The police characterized the amount of meth as small and noted that 70 grams of cannabis was discovered. Even though cannabis is legal and weed products can be transported in vehicles, these must not be accessible to the driver or vehicle occupants.
Rules for transporting personal amounts of cannabis in vehicles are similar to those for alcohol — related products must be store-sealed and not easily available to anyone in the car. Police often advise that the trunk is the best way to store it.
Illegal distribution or sale of cannabis can spur a ticket for small amounts, but potentially as long as 14 years in prison when large amounts are involved, according to Legal Line.
It’s not the first time that footprints have proved a thorn in the side for people fleeing with or after dumping cannabis.
Last month, all U.S. border patrol agents had to do was follow shoe prints leading away from the Rio Grande River into a sugarcane field. Officers then discovered just shy of 150 kilograms of cannabis contained in five bundles and estimated to be worth about $330,000.
Sometimes cannabis isn’t involved at all, but footprints in the snow can still land a person in hot water.
That includes the man suspected of breaking into a business in Collingwood, Ont. in December 2021. CTV News reported at the time that provincial police responding to a business alarm then followed footprints to a discarded jacket, which contained a document naming the apparent owner, and then to a nearby residence.
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