A former Toronto Police officer has pleaded guilty to stealing a cellphone and handing it to a colleague implicated in a major corruption investigation.
The 56‑year‑old, who retired last month after a 29‑year tenure at the 52 Division front desk, was convicted of breach of trust and one count of theft under $5,000. He received a ten‑month conditional sentence that includes five months of house arrest.
Investigators say the officer struggled with a painkiller addiction. During a surveillance period, a fellow officer, who is central to the ongoing corruption probe, allegedly requested a “burner phone” from him, though the purpose was never disclosed.
Court records indicate that cellphones are frequently turned in by members of the public, particularly Uber drivers who find devices left behind by intoxicated passengers.
On August 8, 2025, the former officer texted the colleague that a new phone would be provided “as soon as I get back to 52 next month.” Subsequent intercepted conversations revealed the colleague advised him to avoid iPhones because of the “Find my phone” feature and inquired about other phones that had been turned in.
CCTV footage from October 9, 2025, shows a public member handing a black cellphone to the officer at the 52 Division front desk. No property receipt was issued, and the officer passed the device to the colleague later that day.
Undercover officers turned in Samsung phones to the officer on October 10 and 23, again without issuing receipts. None of the devices were logged into the divisional management system.
By December, the officer was intercepted telling the colleague he was being investigated for stealing phones. He also claimed to have disposed of about sixty credit cards, IDs, and bus passes down a sewer the previous day. Investigators later recovered 120 items, including three Colombian passports stolen in 2024, though no direct link to the colleague or the broader investigation was established.
The colleague and other officers involved in the corruption sweep are scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday afternoon.
