Three arrested for drug possession after attempted theft of pickup truck

A car alarm alerted a resident in Kingston’s west end to the attempted theft of their Ford F150 pickup truck from their driveway earlier this week.

The alarm alerted the complainant of the disturbance at approximately 4:45 p.m. on Monday, Jun. 6, 2022. According to a release from Kingston Police, the resident attended outside their home and observed two unknown individuals inside their F150 pickup truck. Both individuals, upon seeing the complainant, fled the scene on foot, running towards a white SUV that was parked down the street, police said.

According to the release, the complainant was able to obtain a description of the SUV, including the fact that it had an attached rear Quebec licence plate and a loud exhaust system. The SUV then left the area with the headlights turned off.

Police responded and scoured the area, according to the release, eventually locating the SUV, with the headlights still off, driving eastbound on Bath Road near the west border of Kingston. Kingston Police said that they initiated a traffic stop and one of the occupants of the SUV matched the description, provided by the complainant, of one of the suspects that had been seen unlawfully inside their pickup truck.

While speaking with the occupants of the SUV, police observed a clear plastic container on the floor behind the front passenger seat which contained a white powdery substance suspected of being a controlled substance, according to the release.

“The three suspects inside the vehicle were subsequently arrested and a search of the vehicle, incident to arrest, revealed a bag containing various key fobs, multiple Quebec licence plates, assorted break-in tools, and a computer downloading system used for breaching and accessing vehicle information,” Kingston Police said. “Further investigation also revealed that the accused, who had been identified by the complainant, was currently on court imposed release conditions which included not being in possession of any key fobs or devices used for opening motor vehicles.”

According to the release, the three accused individuals were subsequently transported to police headquarters where they were each held to attend a bail hearing.

John Leclerc a 31-year-old individual from Quebec was charged with:

• Attempted theft of a motor vehicle exceeding $5,000,
• Unlawfully being in possession of a Schedule 1 substance,
• Possession of break-in instruments, and
• Failing to comply with a release order.

Guillaume Makombo a 42-year-old individual from Quebec was charged with:

• Unlawfully being in possession of a Schedule 1 substance, and
• Possession of break-in instruments.

Daniel Larose a 58-year-old individual from Quebec was charged with:

• Unlawfully being in possession of a Schedule 1 substance, and
• Possession of break-in instruments.

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Kingston Police provided the following theft of vehicle prevention tips:

• While you are at home, keep key fobs out of sight, not near the door or hanging on a hook near the door
• Keep your vehicle doors locked and windows up
• Park your vehicle in a locked garage whenever possible as most vehicles are targeted for theft late at night or in the early morning hours
• Don’t park your vehicle in isolated areas
• Don’t leave a spare key or key fob in your unattended vehicle
• Invest in an anti-theft device like ignition or fuel kill switches, car alarms or tracking devices
• Use a steering wheel lock, which will also act as a visible deterrent to potential thieves
• Install a lock on the data port of your vehicle, which can be purchased online and blocks access to the computer port where thieves can gain access to reprogram the vehicle’s keys
• Consider purchasing a quality video surveillance system for your residence or business that captures where you park your vehicle/s