Waterloo, Ont., man charged with abduction after Amber Alert

A Waterloo, Ont., man has been charged with abducting the 14-year-old girl who was the subject of an Amber Alert on Monday.

According to the Waterloo Regional Police Service, the teen was reported missing after a break-in at her Kitchener, Ont. home, in the area of Strasburg Road and Rush Meadow Street.

“Upon arrival by members of the patrol, and a thorough investigation, an Amber Alert was issued,” said Insp. Kyle Lambert.

The alert was sent out just after 7 p.m. and less than an hour later, she was found in Simcoe County by Ontario Provincial Police.

“It played a significant role,” Lambert explained. “Not only, I think, in locating the 14-year-old female, who was safe, but also providing us with witnesses who were directly related to the incident and had information to provide us, and we were able to follow up with those witnesses.”

A 36-year-old man has been charged with kidnapping while using a firearm and break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence.

Police said the man and girl knew each other but they are not family.

“They’re not familial-related to one another,” said Lambert. “It’s not strangers or anything like that, and so that forms part of our investigation through interviews and that type of stuff, and will be disclosed as part of the court process.”

Before an Amber Alert can be issued it must be approved by Ontario Provincial Police and meet the following criteria: an alleged abduction of a child under the age of 18, a belief that the child is in danger and that an immediate alert will result in finding them, as well as a description of the child, abductor and/or suspect vehicle.

“This was fortunate because we were able to get the information out in an expedited time period and we were able to find her shortly thereafter,” Lambert added.

Police said they expect to lay more charges in this case.

- With reporting by Stefanie Davis