Ottawa man charged with theft of 25 sewer grates
Last Updated: Friday, July 4, 2008 | 12:48 PM ET
CBC News
Related
Internal Links
A 42-year-old Ottawa man has been charged with the theft of 25 sewer grates in the Elmvale Acres area — some of the 150 catch basin covers that have gone missing around the city in the past month.
Tim Argiropoulos was arrested Thursday afternoon and is to appear in court on Aug. 11, Ottawa police said Friday.
He has been charged with:
- Theft over $5,000.
- Possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.
- Mischief endangering life.
Argiropoulos is accused of stealing the grates from the area east of the Ottawa Hospital, general campus.
Each one weighs 27 to 59 kilograms, covers a hole up to three metres deep and costs about $100 to replace.
The fact that Argiropoulos was charged with theft over $5,000 does not necessarily mean that police believe he may have stolen more than 25 sewer grates, said Ottawa police Const. Jean-Paul Vincelette, adding that the charge could be downgraded in court in the future.
Police said they could release no further details about the arrest as that could jeopardize the continuing investigation of more than 100 missing sewer grates that are still unaccounted for.
The City of Ottawa issued a warning to cyclists, pedestrians and other road users Thursday, telling them to watch out for the holes left by the missing grates and call 311 if they see one.
Share Tools
Latest Ottawa News Headlines
- Drummond report on Ontario spending due today
- Former TD Bank chief economist Don Drummond will release his long-awaited report on Wednesday that outlines his suggestions for ways the Ontario government can pare back spending. more »
- Section 37 guidelines pass committee vote
- A proposal to charge developers extra for oversized projects passed a planning committee vote Tuesday and is expected to pass a city council vote at the end of March. more »
- Spezza's hat trick burns Lightning
- Jason Spezza had three goals and an assist, Craig Anderson made 28 saves, and the Ottawa Senators beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-0 on Tuesday night. more »
- Elementary students call for better aboriginal education
- Young students from the Ottawa area gathered on Parliament Hill Tuesday morning to call for better education in aboriginal communities after a Monday trip to the Supreme Court. more »
Top News Headlines
- Air Canada confident it can reach deal with pilots
- Travellers flying Air Canada can keep booking their flights as negotiations continue with a new federally appointed mediator to help resolve an ongoing contract dispute between the airline and its pilots. more »
- Legalize pot, say former B.C. attorneys general
- Four former B.C. attorneys general are joining a coalition of health and justice experts calling for the legalization of marijuana. more »
- Whitney Houston's funeral to be held Saturday
- Pop star Whitney Houston's funeral service will be held Saturday in the New Jersey church where she first showcased her singing talents as a child. more »
- 6 ways Greece can bounce back
- Although Greece's economic future seems dire, a number of the country's sectors show promise, according to observers. more »
Most Viewed/Commented
- Community groups seek legal advice on prostitution sweeps
- Hundreds mourn Carleton suicide victim
- Elementary students call for better aboriginal education
- Section 37 guidelines pass committee vote
- Ottawa men arrested after pellet gun incident
- Carleton University confirms death of student
- Ottawa high school student found
- Sex workers, Ottawa police urged to co-operate
- Nortel hit by suspected Chinese cyberattacks for a decade
