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Police Arrest Suspects Following Investigation Involving Suspicious Vehicle

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  • BY timmins police service

(TIMMINS) – The Timmins Police Service is releasing information regarding an investigation that began on January 8, 2026, involving a suspicious vehicle in the area of Pine Street North.

On January 8, 2026, officers were investigating a suspicious vehicle when the driver fled police. As a result, the driver was charged with several Criminal Code and Highway Traffic Act offences and was subsequently wanted by police.

On January 9, 2026, the same vehicle was involved in a theft from a commercial business on Laforest Road. During this incident, an employee who confronted the suspect to recover stolen property was assaulted. Police confirmed the vehicle matched the description from the January 8th investigation.

Later that evening, police located the wanted suspect and attempted a traffic stop. During this encounter, the suspect used the vehicle to strike two marked police cruisers in an effort to flee and was able to escape at that time.

On January 22, 2026, officers located the vehicle again and successfully took the suspect into custody.

As a result of the investigation:

Richard SOULATZKOFF, 44, has been charged with:

  • Operation while impaired – Alcohol or Drugs
  • Obstruct Peace Officer
  • Resist Arrest
  • Flight from Police
  • Dangerous Operation (2 counts)
  • Drive motor vehicle – no licence
  • Careless Driving
  • Fail to Identify
  • Fail to Stop
  • Driver – Fail to Properly Wear Seatbelt
  • Disobey Stop Sign – Fail to Stop (2 counts)
  • Theft Under $5,000
  • Assault
  • Possession Property Obtained by Crime Under $5,000
  • Possession Break in Instruments
  • Mischief – destroys or damages property
  • Failure to Stop after Accident
  • Assault Peace Officer (3 counts)

Sarah HUGHES, 39, has been charged with:

  • Theft Under $5,000
  • Theft Under $5,000 – Shoplifting (11 counts)
  • Possession Property Obtained by Crime Under $5,000 (11 counts)

Staff Sergeant Camirand highlighted the importance of safety during the investigation:

“The safety of our officers and the public is always our top priority. While these incidents posed significant risk, our officers acted with professionalism and restraint to bring this situation to a safe resolution.”

Both accused are scheduled to attend a bail hearing today, February 23, 2026.

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TIMMINS POLICE SERVICES

On February 5, 2018, the Timmins Police Service and Victim Services launched a new initiative designed to educate the public and raise awareness about human trafficking.

Human trafficking happens when victims are deceived or forced to work in places like the sex industry, sweatshops, businesses, or on the streets. It can happen anywhere, including in airports, hotels, or while using public transportation. The #EndHumanTrafficking campaign is predominately media/awareness based, however also includes extra training for police officers, as well as those in the hospitality industry who may encounter victims of human trafficking in their workplaces. “Our ultimate goal here is to get help for the victims that we know are out there, even in our own community,” said TPS Insp Darren Dinel. “That starts with educating residents about the signs of human trafficking, as well as letting any victims know that there are resources available to assist them.”
Signs that someone may be a victim include:
  • They appear withdrawn/intimidated
  • They may show signs of physical abuse
  • They may be made up to look older than they actually are
  • The person/people they’re with appears to be preventing them from moving about freely
  • They may have tattoos that mark ownership
  • They don’t have their own credit cards or forms of identification
The initiative will run for the next several months, thanks to funding from the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services. The funding has allowed additional advertising to further increase awareness about human trafficking. If you think a criminal offence has taken place or may be taking place, don’t intervene. Call the Timmins Police Service to report any concerns about human trafficking/sexual exploitation. Record all relevant information including locations and addresses of possible suspicious activity, descriptors of people, vehicle license plates, makes and models of vehicles, and a description of the concerning activity.
download guide for community members
download guide for hospitality industry employees

NEED HELP? Contact Timmins Police or Victim Services.

Other information resources worthy of public attention are listed below:
TIMMINS POLICE SERVICES

HUNTING SAFETY

Hunting licence (Ontario residents)

The following maps are of the townships within the boundaries of the city of timmins that illustrate where hunting is allowed and prohibited
Hunters must acquaint themselves with these by-law restrictions to be in compliance with safe hunting regulations

Discharge Firearms 91-3778
Cody Township
Deloro Township
Evelyn Township
German Township 3
German Township 2
German Township
Hoyle Township
Jessop Township
Kidd Township
Matheson Township
Mountjoy Township
Murphy Township
Ogden Township
Robb Township
Shaw Township
Thornloe Township
Tisdale Township
TIMMINS POLICE SERVICES

BEAR SAFETY

Keeping with the Timmins Police Service’s commitment to public safety, the following Bear-Wise tips are provided as a public service.

Be Bear Wise (ONTARIO GOV)
Timmins Police A screen shot of a page with the words Timmins Police.

1) Never leave garbage behind. If you must leave before garbage day, take your garbage with you when you go. Take it to an approved waste disposal site. Put garbage in containers that have tight-fitting lids, and only put it out on garbage day, not the night before. Store garbage in a bear-resistant container, secure shed or garage. Do not store garbage in plywood boxes, old freezers or vehicles. Do not stockpile garbage. Take it to an approved waste disposal site regularly. Keep meat scraps in the freezer until garbage day.

2) Fill bird feeders only through the winter months.

3) Never feed bears (or other wildlife) or try to approach them.

4) Remove grease and food residue from barbecue grills, including the grease trap, after each use.

5) Do not put meat, fish or sweet food (including fruit) in your composter.

6) Pick all ripe fruit off trees, and remove vegetables and fallen fruit from the ground.

7) Encourage your neighbors to practice Bear Wise habits.

8) Use a strong disinfectant to eliminate all odors from garbage and recycling containers and lids.

9) Never discard cooking grease outside. Instead, place it in a container with a lid, transfer it to a plastic bag and include it with other properly stored garbage.

10) Even non-food items like suntan lotion, insect repellent, soap and candles attract bears.

11) Close and lock all windows and doors.

12) If you are away for an extended period of time, have someone you trust check in and look for signs that a bear has either visited or broken into your property.

13) Do not leave pet food outdoors. Feed pets indoors, not outside or in screened-in areas or porches.

14) Avoid landscaping with trees, shrubs or plants that produce food known to attract bears (some examples include crab apple trees, mountain ash, beech and oak.)

TIMMINS POLICE SERVICES

CYCLIST Safety

Cycling can be enjoyed safely when you understand the rules of the road and practise proper safety and handling techniques.This is your guide to cycling safety. Whether you’re new to cycling or you are an experienced cyclist, this guide contains important information, tips and techniques to make you a safe, confident rider.
Ontario's Safe Cycling Guide
Cycling skills Ottawa guide to self-cycling, including tips from the Timmins Police.
TIMMINS POLICE SERVICES

home Safety

Safety measures and tips to help keep your home and valuables protected from would be thieves.

Interior

  • Lock all doors and windows when you leave or even when home alone. Especially basement and ground level windows and patio doors.
  • Ensure that locks are changed if you are a new tenant or owner, install deadbolts on doors and a peep hole in your front door.
  • Consider installing an alarm system and/or security cameras and be sure they are in working order.
  • Insure your home and its contents.
  • Store valuables in safety lock boxes such as passports, jewellery, coins etc.
  • Store credit cards, identification, and other valuables in a safe place and take photo copies of all important documents.
  • Take an inventory of your possessions, such as all electronic equipment and tools. Pictures, video and receipts are a good way of doing this.
  • Store your car and house keys in a safe, secure and easy to access place.
  • Do not leave purses, jewellery and other valuables visible through the front door.
  • Use curtains on your windows to prevent potential thieves from getting a look inside.
  • Before turning your house key over to a cleaner or other service person, ensure they are from a reputable agency.
  • Ask for credentials from any sales-person before they enter your home.
  • Shred personal papers that you no longer require.

Exterior

  • Have newspapers and mail picked up, lawns cut or snow removed by a trusted neighbour or friend,  when you are away from home.
  • Buy fake home security decals if you cannot afford a real system.
  • Install ‘dummy’ surveillance cameras if you do not wish to install the real ones.
  • Motion-censored lights outside your home are a great deterrent but make sure to hide the wiring.
  • Keep shrubs and trees trimmed so that doors and windows are in clear view for neighbours to see a potential break in.
  • If you lose your keys, change the locks immediately.
  • Keep ladders and garbage pails locked up. Never leave then in the back or front yard.
  • Take your name off the mailbox and your home. These days with Google and the Internet, it’s very easy to find your phone number online, then the thief can call and see if you’re home.
  • Even if you do not have a dog, put a sign up that says beware of dog to deter strangers from entering your property.
  • Always keeps tools locked up as these tools can be turned against you and used to break into your home.
  •  

Vacation

  • Do not post on social media that you are going away and avoid posting vacation photos until you have returned home.
  • Avoid being obvious when packing your car for a vacation.
  • Set a timer to switch various household lights and sprinkler systems on at night and off in the morning.
  • If you frost or cover your garage windows, burglars won’t be able to tell if your car is gone.
  • Make sure that all possible entrances to your house are locked properly.
  • Use a metal bar or piece of wood on sliding doors and windows to make prying them open difficult.
  • Leave a key for your home with someone you trust.
  • Contact your alarm company and advise them when you will be away.
  • Make sure trusted neighbours know you are going away and are left with an emergency contact number.
  • A few dollars to a neighbour for yard maintenance can be money well spent.
  • Put your mail and newspaper deliveries on hold, but also arrange with someone to pick up any mail or newspapers that end up on your doorstep or in your mailbox.
  • In general, with the help of friends and neighbours try to avoid the appearance that no one is home.
  •  
TIMMINS POLICE SERVICES

VIOLENCE & VICTIM SERVICES

Serious assaults and violent acts continue to be a concern. Domestic violence and violent crime against people with distinct needs must be addressed.

Our Goals:

  • Reduce violent crime occurrences.
  • Develop trust between the police and groups such as community partners and social services agencies.
Intimate Relationship / Domestic Violence Assistance

Emergency Numbers
Emergency – 911
Ontario Provincial Police – 1-888-310-1122

Ministry of the Attorney General

Victim Witness Assistance Program (VWAP)
38 Pine Street North Suite 129 (101 Mall) — 360-1905

The Victim Witness Assistance Program is available to help you if you are involved in a criminal case either because you are a victim of crime or because you have been called as a witness to testify in a case. The mandate of VWAP is to provide information, assistance and support to victims and witnesses of crime throughout the criminal justice process in order to improve their understanding of, and participation in, the criminal justice process. There is no fee for this service.

Our key services are:

  • Courtroom orientation and information about the criminal justice system
  • Case specific information (court dates, probation orders)
  • Court accompaniment (when possible)
  • Assistance with Victim Impact Statements
  • Information on Criminal Injuries Compensation
  • Referrals to community agencies
  • Assistance with Crown Interviews
  • Community Education
  • Community Coordination of services for victims of crime

 

Timmins and District Victim Services (located in the Timmins Police Services) – 185 Spruce Street South, Main Floor – 705-360-8700 www.timminsvictimservices.ca

The Timmins and District Victim Services, Ontario is a non-profit organization which assists police and other emergency services in providing emotional and practical assistance to people who have experienced a crime, tragic life event or community disaster including.

HOW WE CAN HELP
We can help in a variety of situation. Some examples are:

• Domestic Violence/Intimate Partner Violence , Sexual Violence , Human Trafficking, Sudden Death / Suicide, Death Notification, Homicide, Stalking & Harassment, Elder Abuse, Internet Crime, Hate Crimes, Multi-casualty Occurrences, Robbery, Property Crime, Personal Crisis, Community Disaster, Bullying

WHAT WE OFFER
In general, we offer:
• Confidential, non-judgmental crisis support and practical assistance
• On-site support
• We offer follow up contact to check in with the individual a few days later to see how they are doing and if we can be of any further assistance
• We also offer short term support over the telephone during office hours – this can be requested by the community at large, without a referral
• Because we are a short-term crisis response program, we also offer referrals to existing community agencies for longer term support
• We provide support to friends and family members of someone who has been victimized by crime or tragedy and to provide a better understanding of what their loved one may be going through
• We provide public education and awareness on related issues

***It is important to note that our service is free to all residents of Timmins and District, and it is based on consent

 

Timmins & Area Women in Crisis (TAWC) – 355 Wilson Avenue – 268-8380

TAWC is our local sexual assault crisis centre. It has a 24 hour crisis line for women age 16 and over who have experienced violence including sexual assault, incest, childhood sexual abuse, date rape, domestic violence, and stalking. TAWC offers crisis intervention, face-to-face support and advocacy, accompaniment to court, police, hospitals, workshops, and referrals. All services are in English or Native perspective. Practical assistance services include a clothing exchange program and computer access.

Centre Passerelle pour femmes (CPF) – 330 Second Avenue Suite 206 – 705-360-5657

CPF is a francophone sexual assault centre for women aged 16 and over who have been victims of violence and abuse (sexual assault, harassment, incest, physical abuse etc). Services are offered to women who reside in the Cochrane District and include individual/group support, crisis intervention, advocacy, accompaniments to legal and medical appointments, practical assistance and referrals to appropriate services.

La ligne d’écoute Femaide – 1-877-336-2433

La ligne d’écoute Femaide is a crisis line available to francophone women, victims of violence and abise (sexual, psychological, physical, emotional, financial, etc). Services are confidential and can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Women’s Shelter

Matheson, Ontario – 1-705-273-2339 or 1-866-993-2339

The Women’s Shelter offers women a number of emergency housing services and supports through the Women’s Shelter, Community Outreach Program, to women (+16) and their children who are experiencing violence or abuse in their lives. The Women’s Shelter is a safe and secure ten-bed home where a woman can go to protect herself and her children from violence and abuse. Services include support counselling, education on woman abuse and woman’s issues, life skills, parenting skills, advocacy, safety planning, referrals to legal, housing and financial resources, and therapeutic counselling.

Sexual Assault Helpline – 1-800-205-7100

The Sexual Assault Helpline provides 24-hour telephone support 7 days a week, which recognizes and respects the strengh of each woman and offers a non-judgmental setting. It is based out of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

Assaulted Women’s Helpline – 1-866-863-0511

The Assaulted Women’s Helpline is a province-wide, toll free crisis line available to help women in need. The line provides assaulted women with immediate information and support, and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They also speak to friends and family members of abused women, service providers and other professionals in contact with abused women. It has also incorporated the use of the Language Line, allowing counsellors to provide services via an interpreter in up to 154 languages.

TIMMINS POLICE SERVICES

Social Media and Safety Online

While the Internet can be an incredible social and educational tool, your online safety depends on taking a proactive approach and protecting yourself, and your children, from bullying and cyberbullying, cyberstalking stalkingand online exploitation. Some useful resources include:

  • NeedHelpNow lets you know how to take down pictures and videos that you’ve posted online
  • Cybertip.ca is Canada’s tip line to report online sexual exploitation of children
  • ProtectKidsOnline.ca is the Canadian Centre for Child Protection

 

Parents

Let your child know they can talk to you about anything and that you will always support them, no matter what. Building trust is important and lets your child know that they can come to you without fear of judgment.

Social media and online technology are a regular part of your child’s life. Threatening to take away their Internet access or smart phone can have harmful effects; your child will be less willing to come and talk to you if something negative is happening to them online.

 

Social media sites

Social media sites let you share photos, videos and more with friends and family. You need to careful as strangers can sometimes see the information you share. One photo can give away personal information, like where you currently are or where you live. You can remove location information on apps and programs from the posts you make. Social media sites often update their security settings without warning. Make sure to check your settings at least once a week to ensure your privacy.

Remember that once you post something online, you cannot control who has shared, screen shot or downloaded it. Removing it from a post does not mean someone has not already taken that information.

Sending photos, videos or messages that are sexual in nature by text message or online has the same risks as photo sharing and webcam use: once you have sent a photo, video or message of yourself, it is out of your control. There is no way to limit who the photos or videos are passed on to or who will see them. Once a photo is online, it is out there forever.

TIMMINS POLICE SERVICES

Fraud and Identity Theft

If you simply wish to provide information about the fraudulent call, please submit a report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

Common prevention tips 

Do not feel pressured into providing any personal information to unsolicited contact through phone calls, text messages, emails, door to door persons, and so on. You have the right to take your time to research and confirm their credibility.

Remember you can stop any fraud by hanging up, not replying to the email, shutting your door and not providing them with personal information.

Never feel forced into providing personal information about yourself which could lead to Identity Theft.

Call The Timmins Police Service or your bank if you have questions or concerns and remember, if it sounds too good to be true it probably is.

Be wary

Be cautious of any person, business, or agency contacting you for an “urgent matter”, an “emergency”, or a “legal issue”, that immediately requires your information or payment of some sort. Fraudsters are often successful because they create a sense of urgency and get you to react before thinking. Again, you have the right to take time to research and confirm if they are legitimate.

Don’t pay in iTunes gift cards or bitcoin

Be very cautious of any so-called official person, government agency, business or organization that requests payment in iTunes gift cards or bitcoin. These types of payments are almost always used by fraudsters as they are nearly impossible to trace or recover. No Government or law enforcement agency will ever ask you for payment and/or donations over email.

Don’t feel pressured

If you are contacted by someone seeking a donation for charity and you are unsure if they and/or the charity is legitimate, do not be pressured into making a donation for some “urgent” cause. Legitimate charities in Canada are registered by the Canada Revenue Agency. You can search the Canadian Governments list of charities. If the charity is well known, but you are unsure of the person seeking the donation, obtain the charity contact information from the phone book or online and then call to confirm the person is legitimate.

Be cautious of telephone solicitors

Do not trust Caller ID. Scammers can use Caller ID Spoofing to make their number look like any phone number including Government agencies, police departments, well-known businesses, and so on.

Common frauds and scams

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre – CAFC collects information and criminal intelligence on frauds and scams. If you are suspicious that something or someone might be fraudulent or you just want to learn more, you can browse known scams and have a look at the Little Black Book of Scams resources. Please share this information with family and friends. Knowledge and caution is the best protection against fraud.

TIMMINS POLICE SERVICES

What to Expect when you call 911

The 9-1-1 telephone system has an Automatic Location Identification System and an Automatic Number Identification System which lets the call taker know the address and telephone number of the caller. If a caller is unable to communicate or respond, the Police will be dispatched to the location immediately. Be prepared to answer several questions:

Which service do you require? Police, Fire or Ambulance Service? You will then be transferred to the agency you’ve requested. If your incident requires more than one emergency service, advise the call-taker.

What is your address? You need to provide the address of the incident, including the municipality.

Timmins Police A flyer with information about what number to call and when for Timmins Police.

9-1-1 Response Time

If your call is deemed an emergency, police, fire and ambulance will arrive promptly.

If we determine your call is urgent, but not an emergency, the time it will take for our officers to arrive can vary depending on how many other urgent calls are waiting, the time of day and the availability and location of officers.

Once you have spoken to a call taker, do not call back to 9-1-1 to ask for an estimated time of arrival (ETA). Our dispatchers cannot provide you with an ETA.

What you Should Know When Dialing 9-1-1

  • Calling from home, you can dial 9-1-1 direct.
  • Calling from a business or other location, you may need to dial an outside line before dialling 9-1-1.
  • Calling from a pay phone, dial 9-1-1. This is a free call.
  • Calling from a cellular phone is free. Be prepared to give the exact location of the emergency.
  • A person with hearing loss can call police using T.T.Y access by calling 9-1-1 and pressing the space bar announcer key repeatedly until a response is received.