Door sawed in half during break-in at Guelph discount store

A Guelph business is sharing video of a suspect breaking into their store by cutting the back door in half. CTV’s Colton Wiens reports.

A would-be thief went to great lengths to get inside a discount store in Guelph, Ont.

Security video shared with CTV News, showed the suspect cutting through the back door of Buck or Two Plus at the corner of Grange and Victoria Road North with a reciprocating saw around 3 a.m. Monday.

“First of all, they drill a hole,” owner Johnny Ghoerahoe said. “They drill a hole, only to let the saw blade go through.”

The suspect then pulled that part of the door out, leaving it attached to the frame, and crawled into the store.

They didn’t get far before being spooked by the store’s security system.

“Immediately, once inside, [they] set off a motion alarm, an audible alarm, and they fled on foot without stealing anything,” said Scott Tracey, a spokesperson for the Guelph Police Service.

The method used, he added, was a little unusual.

“First one I’m aware of, this particular mode of entry. We see various modes of entry, of course, but I don’t recall one like this where a door was actually cut in half.”

Ghoerahoe was surprised someone would break into his business.

“I do not think they are interested in [the] inventory of the store because I do not have alcohol,” he said. “I do not have cigarettes. I have discounted items here.”

Ghoerahoe believed the suspect was looking for something a little more valuable.

In September, someone broke into Buck or Two Plus and stole a tablet. Ghoerahoe then installed a metal bar, which went across the back door, to prevent future incidents.

“I was 100 per cent [sure] they won’t enter the building,” he said Wednesday.

Buck or Two Plus is not the only business dealing with a recent break-in. Another owner heard about the theft and sought Ghoerahoe out at the store.

“I had the gentleman here yesterday,” he recounted. “He came to meet me to ask me for the video and he was talking with me because he also had a big loss, I think, more than $5,000 in tools.”

Guelph Police confirmed they were investigating other incidents in the neighbourhood.

“We have had a number [of incidents] in the east-end, in the immediate area of where this occurred,” Tracey said. “Not that night, but within the past few months. But nothing that suggests that this one is connected to any of those.”

Another factor was the suspect’s use of a reciprocating saw.

“We would never have thought that somebody would take this particular method,” Tracey admitted.

He encouraged business owners to step up their security.

“We don’t tell them how to do so. It’s up to the business owners but protect themselves the best they can with security features, cameras, additional locks, deadbolts, that kind of thing.”

According to Ghoeraho, there were no cameras at the back of the building.

The suspect was described as wearing a black or dark-coloured hoodie, grey sweatpants, black running shoes and a dark-coloured face mask.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Const. Jovan Dhanju at 519-824-1212, ext. 7805, or email [e-mail].

- With reporting by Colton Wiens