THUNDER BAY – A man who allegedly used a harmonica to threaten a hotel clerk while stealing a cell phone from a waterfront hotel is behind bars.
City police say they were called to a north side hotel on New Year’s Day just after 10:30 p.m., following reports of an armed robbery.
Police, in a release issued on Thursday, said the suspect entered the hotel, approached the male clerk working the front desk and absconded with the cell phone, allegedly flashing a metal object presumed to be a firearm in the process.
Police used the phone’s GPS signal to track the stolen phone to the St. Paul Street and Red River Road area, where they located a man matching the description of the suspect, provided by witnesses.
The suspect told police he had used a harmonica and not a firearm, and pointed them to both the phone and the instrument, which he’d ditched in a nearby parking lot.
A 23-year-old man, who was not named by police as he had yet to appear in court, was charged with robbery with an offensive weapon, breach of probation and failure to comply with a judicial release.
The man is expected to appear in bail court on Thursday.
The investigation is ongoing and police remind the public that many devices now include a GPS tracker that allows them to locate lost or stolen phones.
They add it’s not safe to attempt to retrieve a stolen phone without police assistance.
See the full police release below:
NEWS RELEASE
THUNDER BAY POLICE SERVICE
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GPS of stolen phone leads officers to robbery suspect
Thunder Bay Police Service officers with the Uniform Patrol Branch were dispatched to the 2000-block of Sleeping Giant Parkway after 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 1 following reports of an armed robbery.
When police arrived they learned a male had entered the Delta Hotel, approached a male working the front desk and took a cell phone belonging to that clerk. When questioned by the clerk the accused briefly showed a metal object presumed to be a firearm and made threats.
The male suspect fled the area with the victim’s cell phone.
The cell phone was tracked via GPS to an area near St. Paul Street and Red River Road.
Police located a male in that area who matched the description of the suspect provided by witnesses.
The suspect immediately told police he had used a harmonica, and not a firearm, during a robbery at the Delta Hotel. The accused directed police to the stolen cell phone, which he had left in a nearby parking lot.
Officers located the phone and a harmonica in the area.
The investigation is ongoing.
A 23-year-old Thunder Bay man is now charged with Robbery with an Offensive Weapon, Breach of Probation and Failure to Comply with Judicial Release.
He is expected to appear in bail court Thursday.
The Thunder Bay Police Service would like to remind the public that many devices now come with GPS tracking and built-in or third-party applications that allow users to find lost or stolen phones. Please do not attempt to retrieve a stolen phone without police assistance.
