Suspected thieves nabbed by GO Transit special constable
Two men are facing charges after an incident involving railway ties being taken from a rail yard.
Apr 14, 2020
An attempt to abscond with railway ties has put two suspects in a legal bind.
The men now face theft charges after an incident this past Sunday morning (April 12).
GO Transit special constable Steve Cauwenbergs was driving through the parking lot at Eglinton GO Station, in Toronto’s east end, when he noticed two suspects loading wood into an unmarked cube van.
As he drove up to the van, Cauwenbergs saw the men on the other side of a damaged fence. The officer approached them and discovered they were handling Metrolinx property.
The cube van allegedly used to try to drive away with expensive railway ties. (Metrolinx photo)
The suspects had allegedly already loaded four railway ties – large pieces of lumber used to support railroad tracks – into a van.
Inside the van. (Metrolinx photo)
When confronted by the officer, the men unloaded the railway ties, putting them back where they found them.
The Toronto Police Service was also called in, but left the suspects in GO Transit Safety’s hands.
GO Transit special constable Steve Cauwenbergs. (Metrolinx photo)
Inspector Steve Weir, Metrolinx’s manager of Transit Safety Operations, says while most people are working from home, Metrolinx Transit Safety Officers are still in the field ensuring the GO Transit system is safe and doesn’t fall victim to crimes of opportunity.
“Our officers have had to fundamentally change their approach to how they do their work, but what hasn’t changed, is their dedication to doing their work even in a time of a state of emergency,” says Weir.
The two suspects were charged by Transit Safety with theft under $5,000.
by Scott Money Metrolinx editorial content manager
