Wiarton Man Charged in Robbery and Suspected Arsons in South Bruce Peninsula
Grey Bruce OPP have charged Ronald Eby, 39, in connection with a robbery in Wiarton and two suspicious structure fires in Oliphant. He remains in custody pending a bail hearing.
A 39-year-old man is facing multiple charges following separate police investigations into a daytime robbery in Wiarton and two suspicious structure fires in South Bruce Peninsula.
According to the Grey Bruce Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), officers were called to Bluewater Park in Wiarton at approximately 1:36 p.m. on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, after receiving a report of an assault in progress.
Police say a man was found inside a parked vehicle and became aggressive when confronted, shoving the vehicle owner to the ground and fleeing on foot after stealing property. The victim was not injured.
The suspect, identified as Ronald Eby, of no fixed address, was later located and taken into custody. He is charged under the Criminal Code with:
Robbery with Violence
Resist Peace Officer
Separately, Eby has also been charged in connection with two suspicious structure fires in the community of Oliphant, also within South Bruce Peninsula.
Emergency crews responded to the most recent fire at approximately 1:12 a.m. on June 25, 2025—less than 13 hours before the Wiarton incident—along Bruce Road 13, where a wooden outbuilding was found fully engulfed in flames. A previous fire in the same area was reported on June 15. No injuries were reported in either incident.
Eby faces two counts of arson related to the Oliphant fires.
He remains in custody and is scheduled to appear for a bail hearing on Thursday, June 26, 2025, at the Ontario Court of Justice in Owen Sound.
Police are asking anyone with information related to either investigation to contact the Grey Bruce OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at ontariocrimestoppers.ca, where tipsters may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000.