Kingston Police detail theft of truck, same day arrest

The theft of a pickup truck – and what was left inside it – led to a whirlwind investigation and an arrest within the hour, according to Kingston Police.

According to police, at approximately 9:10 a.m. on Monday, Jul. 31, 2023, a pickup truck was stolen from a parking lot in central Kingston. Asked specifically where the truck was stolen, Kingston Police told Kingstonist the parking lot is in the area of Sir John A. Macdonald Boulevard and Union Street.

Officers responded to a report of the theft and, on arrival, were informed by the victim that the location of the truck could be tracked – the victim had left their cellphone in the vehicle, and was able to track the location of the vehicle through the tracking app already installed on the phone.

The victim told police that the cellphone tracking app indicated it the phone was in the area of Village Drive in the Rideau Heights neighbourhood.

“Police immediately attended this location and discovered the stolen truck, which had been left unattended in a parking lot at this location,” Kingston Police said on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023.

Further investigation led police to the area of Daly Street and Baker Street, also in the Rideau Height neighbourhood. There, officers were able to locate and identify the person responsible for the theft of the truck, according to Kingston Police. The accused individual was arrested, and a search found that they were in possession of the keys to the stolen truck, along with the victim’s wallet. All in, the span of time from the theft of the vehicle to the arrest of the accused was approximately 40 minutes, police reported.

“Police also located a replica firearm, two knives and the victim’s cell phone,” Kingston Police said, noting that the accused person had also breached “a number of their court-imposed conditions.”

As a result, 32-year-old Robert Cotter of Kingston was charged with:

• Theft of a motor vehicle
• Possession of property obtained by crime exceeding $5,000
• Three counts of possession of a firearm while prohibited
• Five counts of breach or probation