Nipigon OPP Seek GTA Man After Stolen Vehicle Stop Near Terrace Bay
TERRACE BAY, Ont. — Nipigon OPP are asking for the public’s help locating a Greater Toronto Area man after police say a driver fled on foot following a traffic stop involving a stolen black Ford SUV towing a travel trailer on Highway 17.
Police Search Continues After Highway 17 Traffic Stop
According to the Ontario Provincial Police, officers were on patrol in the Township of Terrace Bay on Thursday, May 14, at about 7:45 p.m. ET when an automated licence plate reader alerted them to a stolen vehicle.
Police say officers stopped a black Ford SUV towing a travel trailer. The driver got out of the vehicle and fled on foot.
Nipigon OPP were assisted by the OPP Emergency Response Team, the canine unit and drones. Officers searched the area but did not locate the man.
Police have identified the outstanding suspect as Darbara Singh Mann, of the Greater Toronto Area.
Public Asked To Share Information
Anyone who has had contact with Mann or has information about his whereabouts is asked to contact Nipigon OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
People who wish to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or online at ontariocrimestoppers.ca.
The OPP is also reminding motorists not to pick up hitchhikers on Highways 11 and 17.
Why This Matters Along The North Shore
Highway 17 is a major transportation corridor through Northwestern Ontario, linking communities including Nipigon, Schreiber, Terrace Bay, Marathon and Thunder Bay. Police searches along the route can affect local travel, commercial traffic and residents in smaller communities where motorists may encounter people walking near the highway.
The use of automated licence plate readers has become an increasingly common policing tool in Ontario. The technology scans licence plates and alerts officers when a plate is associated with a vehicle reported stolen, suspended or otherwise flagged.
Legal Context: No Charges Announced
OPP have not announced charges in the information provided. Mann has not been convicted of any offence in relation to this matter, and any person charged with a criminal offence is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Where police investigate a stolen motor vehicle, relevant Criminal Code provisions can include motor vehicle theft under section 333.1, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if prosecuted by indictment, or up to two years less a day if prosecuted summarily. In some aggravated circumstances, including violence or criminal organization involvement, the maximum can rise to 14 years.
Police may also investigate possession of property obtained by crime under section 354. Where the value of the property is more than $5,000, section 355 provides for a maximum sentence of 10 years if prosecuted by indictment.
In some circumstances, police may also consider offences related to failing to stop for police or obstruction. Section 320.17 addresses flight from a peace officer by a person operating a motor vehicle or vessel while being pursued, while section 129 addresses resisting or wilfully obstructing a peace officer in the execution of duty.
