Ottawa Police say a man wanted in connection with a home invasion in the city, along with similar incidents in Quebec, has been arrested in the United States.
Police had been investigating an incident in early December in which an elderly woman was allegedly drugged and robbed inside her Riverside and Hunt Club-area home. The suspect had posed as a prospective home-buyer and had offered the woman wine and chocolates. She lost consciousness after consuming the “gifts” and awoke to find that money and valuables had been stolen.
Similar incidents had occurred at around the same time in Montreal and Sherbrooke. Police allege that, in each case, the suspect presented drug-laced chocolates to an elderly victim who was selling their home and then made off with valuables while the victim was unconscious, often for several hours.
The Montreal Police announced Thursday that a suspect, identified as 47-year-old Hamid Chekakri, was arrested by U.S. Marshals in Atlanta, Georgia on March 31. He’s been implicated in as many as nine incidents in Ottawa, Montreal, and Sherbrooke.
He remains in the U.S., awaiting extradition to Canada.
Chekakri is facing charges of overcoming resistance, administering a drug, and breaking and entering in connection with the Ottawa incident, Ottawa Police say.
Police are concerned there may be more victims, and say if you have been a victim of such an incident in Ottawa, please call the Ottawa Police West Criminal Investigation Unit at 613-236-1222, ext. 2266. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or by downloading the Ottawa Police app.