Two Charged, $106,000 in Stolen Property Recovered Following Inter-County Police Investigation

Two men face charges after OPP recovered $106,000 in stolen property linked to break-ins across Grey and Dufferin Counties.

Photo by Scott Rodgerson on Unsplash

Two individuals are facing multiple charges after police recovered over $100,000 in stolen property during an investigation into break-ins across Grey and Dufferin Counties.

The Grey Bruce Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Community Street Crime Unit (CSCU), working in partnership with the Dufferin CSCU and Grey Bruce OPP Crime Unit, launched the investigation in early July after a series of break-and-enter incidents and theft reports in the region.

The case advanced significantly on July 15, when officers located a stolen Ford F650 U-Haul truck in the Melancthon Township area. The truck was quickly linked to the ongoing investigation.

The following morning, on July 16 at approximately 8:02 a.m., Dufferin OPP responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle on Southgate Road 4 in Southgate Township. Officers arrested two suspects at the scene without incident.

A subsequent search of the U-Haul truck turned up numerous tools and other items that had been reported stolen from a recent break-in in Meaford, along with equipment believed to have been used to commit break and enters.

Later that day, at around 3:53 p.m., OPP officers executed a search warrant at a Melancthon Township property, where they recovered an 18-foot flatbed trailer reported stolen. The total value of the recovered property is estimated at $106,000.

David Johnston, 51, of Southgate, has been charged with two counts of possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, three counts of possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000, and possession of break-in instruments.

Mark Harlow, 44, of Shelburne, faces the same charges.

Both men have been released from custody and are scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Owen Sound on August 21, 2025.

Police continue to investigate and are asking anyone with additional information to contact the Grey Bruce OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or www.cstip.ca and may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000.