Niagara Regional Police say they have made arrests after an incident involving a stolen vehicle.
On October 27th, 2022, at 1:00pm officers responded to the area of York Road and Four Mile Creek Road, in Niagara-on-the-Lake regarding a stolen 2017 Ford cargo van.
At 1:30pm the stolen vehicle was reported to have been involved in a fail to remain motor vehicle collision at the intersection of York Road and Coon Road. No injuries were sustained as a result of this collision.
At 1:53pm the Communications Unit of the Niagara Regional Police Service received a driving complaint from a concerned citizen who reported a vehicle driving erratically on Beaverdams Road near Merrittville Highway, in Thorold. The vehicle was confirmed to be the stolen Ford cargo van. The concerned citizen last observed the stolen vehicle enter the parking lot of a commercial business on Highway 20 near Rice Road, in the Town of Pelham.
Multiple police units including a canine officer responded to the area. The stolen vehicle was recovered, and the suspects were believed to have fled on foot into an adjacent corn field. Police Service Dog Onyx was deployed into the corn field and successfully tracked both suspects who were ultimately arrested. In addition, Police Service Dog Onyx assisted with an article search and located a .22 caliber bolt-action firearm in the corn field.
William OSTERMAIER (37 years) of Welland has been arrested and charged with the following Criminal Code offences:
• Theft of a motor vehicle
• Possession of a firearm other than a restricted or prohibited firearm without holding a licence
• Unauthorized possession of a prohibited or restricted weapon in a motor vehicle
• Possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition
• Careless storage of a firearm, weapon, prohibited device
• Possession of property obtained by crime over $5000
• Possession of a weapon
• Fail to comply with release order
Kathleen SULLIVAN (32 years) of Welland has been arrested and charged with the following Criminal Code offences:
• Theft of a motor vehicle
• Possession of a firearm other than a restricted or prohibited firearm without holding a licence
• Unauthorized possession of a prohibited or restricted weapon in a motor vehicle
• Possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition
• Unauthorized possession of a prohibited or restricted weapon
• Careless storage of a firearm, weapon, prohibited device
• Possession of property obtained by crime over $5000
• Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle
• Fail to stop at the scene of an accident
• Possession of a weapon
• Fail to comply with probation order
Both OSTERMAIER and SULLIVAN were held for a pending bail hearing that took place on October 28th, 2022, via video link to the Robert S.K. Welch Courthouse, located at 59 Church Street, in the City of St. Catharines. Both have been remanded into the custody of Ontario Correctional Services.
Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to contact the lead detectives by dialing 905-688-4111, dial option #3, extension #1009638.
Members of the public who wish to provide information anonymously are encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to persons who contact the program with information that leads to an arrest.
