Arrest made after phone and internet lines cut to at least 18 Guelph businesses

Damaged wires can be seen outside Wyndham Art Supplies in Guelph in this undated image. (Courtesy: Wyndham Art Supplies)

A Guelph man has been charged after phone and internet cables for at least 18 Guelph businesses were cut last week.

Last Wednesday, at least 13 businesses on Wyndam Street North reported their external wires had been damaged. Guelph Police investigators believe the lines were cut around 5:30 a.m. Wednesday.

“We came in Wednesday morning and there was no phone and internet,” said Chris Ahlers, co-owner of Wyndham Art Supplies, which is located on Wyndham Street North. “We had no internet and no telephone for three days. We do a lot of phone calls, a lot of online sales. It was a challenge.”

On Friday morning, five more business owners in the Quebec Street and Norfolk Street area said their lines had been cut overnight as well.

“Eighteen [businesses] that we’re aware of in the downtown,” said Scott Tracey, spokesperson for the Guelph Police Service.

Investigators suspect there are more than that on neighbouring streets, like Sweet! on Carden Street.

“Once upon a time, the cable just came down this drain spout and hung in a big loop,” said Bryan Munn, owner of the ice cream, candy and chocolate shop.

That line, which came through the front of his building, was snipped last week.

“I couldn’t do any card sales for the day, so I lost money there,” said Munn.

By the end of the day it was repaired. But then he experienced a case of déjà vu.

“It had been cut again less than 24 hours later,” Munn said.

Police believe the total estimated cost of the damage comes in at more than $5,000.

With so many businesses affected in so little time, police asked for the public’s help.

“We were able to monitor some of the new surveillance cameras downtown and actually got a clear image of the person of interest,” said Tracey.

After police shared an image of the suspect, a member of the public was able to identify him and police made an arrest.

“There’s no indication that he was trying to access any wiring inside or anything like that, as we often do see. It appears it was just malicious damage,” Tracey said.

During the arrest, the man had wire cutters in his possession.

A 32-year-old man has been charged with mischief over $5,000.