Guelph woman charged in Christmas Eve and Boxing Day robberies

A red gift bag sits on the sidewalk in this undated stock image. (Angela Roma/Pexels.com)

The Guelph Police Service has charged a woman after two separate incidents on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day.

On Tuesday, police were called to a business on Speedvale Avenue East near Stevenson Street North around 2:30 p.m. A staff member said they confronted a woman after watching her hide items in her purse. The employee said the woman punched them in the face and ran out of the store.

Officers were driving to the Speedvale Avenue East store when another nearby business reported the same suspect had just stolen from there.

Police arrested a 39-year-old Guelph woman and charged her with robbery, theft under $5,000, possessing stolen property and failing to comply with an undertaking.

On Thursday, police received another call about a theft from a Silvercreek Parkway North business. Officers were called to the store just before 1:30 p.m. They were told an employee saw a woman removing a gift bag from a shelf and filing it with items.

When she tried to leave without paying, the employee tried to stop her, but the woman threatened them and left the business.

Police found the suspect downtown several hours later and charged her with another count of robbery.

She was held for a bail hearing on Friday.