Guelph police seek robbery footage after 2 treated, warn renters

Guelph police are seeking witnesses and dashcam footage after a man reportedly sprayed customers and employees while leaving a north-end store with stolen merchandise Tuesday evening. Two people were treated for exposure, police said.

Police said the substance is believed to have been pepper spray. Witnesses told officers the man fled on foot after spraying people in the store.

Investigators want to hear from anyone who was in the store and may have been exposed to the airborne substance, as well as anyone with information about the incident. They are also asking for dashcam footage showing the man leaving the store or in the area.

Anyone with information or footage can contact Constable Emma Turney at 519-824-1212, ext. 7438, or [email protected]. The occurrence number is GU26076019.

Police warn renters about fraud

In a separate case, police said a renter reported paying upfront for a room that was not actually available. The investigation is continuing.

Police say warning signs of a rental scam include:

• Pressure to pay a deposit or rent before viewing a property or signing a lease.
• A landlord or agent who will not show the unit in person or by live video, or says keys will be provided only after payment.
• Requests to send an e-transfer to a personal email address or a third party.
• Rent well below market value, or a deal that seems too good to be true.
• A social media listing where the landlord is hard to reach or moves the conversation to a messaging app.

Police advise anyone who believes they have been targeted to stop communicating with the person, keep messages and payment records, and report it to Guelph police at 519-824-1212 or online. Fraud can also be reported to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501. The occurrence number is GU26075980.