UPDATE: Stolen Vehicle Recovered in Prescott, One Person in Custody

Prescott – A stolen vehicle has been recovered and one person is in custody following a foot pursuit and search in the Town of Prescott.

On Wednesday, September 11, shortly after 8:30 a.m., members from the Leeds County Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) were patrolling Highway 401, near the Town of Gananoque, and located a stolen vehicle travelling eastbound.

The vehicle evaded police for a short time but was later located again travelling eastbound on County Road 2, near the village of Maitland. Officers with the Grenville County OPP Detachment attended the area to assist with the investigation and search.

The vehicle drove at a dangerously high rate of speed through a residential area in the Town of Prescott, before it was observed entering a commercial plaza on Prescott Centre Drive. Officers surrounded the area to prevent the vehicle from escaping, at which time the suspect fled on foot into a treed area near Highway 401.

Police contained the area and the East Region OPP Emergency Response Team (ERT) and Canine Unit were requested for a search.

Just after 10:30 a.m., ERT and Canine Unit members located and arrested the suspect.

The accused, Leo TANGA, 19 years of age, from Montreal, Quebec, has been charged with the following Criminal Code offences:

• · Theft of a motor vehicle
• · Possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000
• · Trafficking in stolen goods over $5,000
• · Flight from a peace officer
• · Dangerous operation
• · Mischief over $5,000
• · Mischief to computer data
• · Possession of an identity document

The accused was held for a bail hearing on September 12, 2024, at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brockville.