NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE
*******************************
One person arrested and charged for 16 offences.
On Aug. 26, 2024, the East Algoma Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) began a fraud investigation that occurred between Aug. 10 and Aug. 18, 2024, that took place at a local outfitters store in the City of Elliot Lake.
Investigation determined an employee [allegedly] stole store items, cash, had pocketed money from the till and refunded store items by falsifying invoices. Closed circuit television (CCTV) recorded most of the fraudulent transactions and thefts.
On Aug. 29, 2024 at approximately 7 p.m., the OPP made an arrest and recovered more store items.
As a result, Martin Bates, 48 years of age from Elliot Lake, was charged with:
- Fraud under $5,000 (seven counts)
- Falsification books and documents (five counts)
- Theft under $5,000 (four counts)
The accused is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Elliot Lake on Oct. 10, 2024.
*******************************