Police and border officials are still trying to confirm names that have been attached to two mystery men arrested this week after a Sarnia homeowner alleged she was asked to pay for eavestrough work that wasn’t done.
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The men, arrested Monday after a Franklin Avenue resident’s complaint, produced identification from another country, police have said.
In an update Thursday, Deputy Chief Ron Hansen said the men had UK passports on them and spoke with accents, but investigators had questions about the documents’ validity.
“We’re still working with the CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency) to see if they are in fact legitimate documents,” he said. “We don’t know yet.”
As the probe continues, Sarnia courthouse records show the accused have been identified – at least for now – as Ned Myers, 21, and Jim Wall, 22, both of no fixed address.
The duo made brief appearances in court Friday morning by video link from the Sarnia Jail. A man with long red hair identified himself as Wall and a second man with short dark hair said he was Myers. They resembled men in mug shots Sarnia police released this week.
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What was said in court Friday is covered by a publication ban until their trials are over. Wall returns to court Monday, while Myers is set for a bail hearing Thursday.
The pair face charges of attempted fraud, fraudulently identifying themselves for monetary gain – allegedly as A1 and City of Sarnia employees – theft, and obstructing police in connection with alleged incidents in Sarnia and Hamilton, court records say.
Police have said the Sarnia homeowner was told her eavestroughs had been cleaned and further repairs were needed, but realized no work had been done and called police. Two suspects were arrested nearby, police said, adding their investigation led them to previous incidents in other communities.
Hansen said Thursday the suspects were allegedly operating out of a vehicle acquired in the Hamilton area. “We’re confident that along the way they hit other communities,” he said.
Hansen added he wasn’t sure what initially prompted investigators’ suspicions the UK passports weren’t real, but they were working with border officials to find out when and how the two men arrived in Canada.
No update on the probe was immediately available Friday. A CBSA representative referred all questions to Sarnia police.
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