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Milton trio charged in two-month break and enter crime spree Council takes centre stage The stage of John Elliott Theatre was temporarily transformed into Halton Hills Council Chamber (above) as the council-elect was sworn in during the inaugural meeting Monday night. (Below left) New Ward 4 Councillor John Duncan was sworn in to his elected office and (below right) newly-elected Ward 3 Councillor David Kentner recited his vow to serve as he was sworn in by Town of Halton Hills Clerk Karen Landry. Photos by Ted Brown Three males from Milton are facing charges in connection with a two-month crime spree involving 12 break and enters-- two of which occurred in Halton Hills. Beginning at the end of September Halton Police noticed a sudden increase in the number of break and enters mostly in the Milton area, but also in Halton Hills, Burlington and Oakville. A task force was established to investigate entries into Dufferin Aggregates on Dublin Line, Milton and also on Churchill Rd., Acton, and Glen Cairn Golf Course and numerous Milton locations including Sherman Sand and Gravel, Halton Waste Management landfill site on Regional Rd. 25, Halton Conservation Authority on Appleby Line, Trafalgar Golf and Country Club on Sixth Line, Halton Conservation Authority property on Steeles Ave. W., Hilton Falls Conservation Area on Five Sideroad, more than 70 storage units in a Nippissing Rd. storage facility, Spot Free Car Wash on Harrop Rd., as well as Indian Wells Golf Course on Walkers Line, Burlington, and Oakville Executive Golf Course on Fourth Line, Oakville. During the break-ins, a 2001 Ford F150 pickup truck and a 1996 Ford F250 pickup truck were taken from the Dufferin Aggregates Milton property. The trucks were later found badly damaged abandoned in a rural area. Two pickups were also taken from the Dufferin Aggregates property in Acton and later recovered by police undamaged. A 1988 Toyota 4-Runner truck was stolen from the Milton storage units, along with other property valued at more than $5000. The truck was later recovered after it was set on fire and completely destroyed. At the Indian Wells Golf Course in Burlington, three golf carts valued at more than $21,000, were taken from the property and before they were stolen they were used for a joy ride causing extensive damage to the golf course and its greens. Charged with 11 counts of break and enter, theft over $5,000, mischief to private property and 26 counts of breach of probation is Jonathon Leigh Thomas, 24, of Ontario St. S. Also charged with 11 counts of break and enter, theft over $5,000 and mischief to property is William Jacob Palmer, 21, of Ontario St. S. Police also charged a 17-year-old male from Milton with one count of break and enter. Thomas and Palmer were both held for a bail hearings in Milton Court on November 29. The youth as released and is to appear in Milton court on December 21. Police say the investigation is continuing and additional arrests and charges are anticipated. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Constable Mark Underwood at 905-878-5511 Ext. 2428 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Popularity of Fresh Food program soars LISA TALLYN Staff Writer Demand for the fruits and vegetables offered through the Halton Fresh Food Box program has grown so dramatically since it was launched two years ago the organization is opening a new packing site in Halton Hills. Fresh Food Box co-ordinator Brenda Moher said the new location where the produce will be packed into boxes for Halton Hills and Milton residents will begin operating in January at the Georgetown Christian Fellowship Church. Volunteers are needed to help at the site the fourth Tuesday of every month. Currently the boxes of produce, which are sold to participants in the program for $15 for a family size, and $12 for a single size, are packed in the organization's Burlington location. They are delivered to drop sites for pick-up once a month. Each box is full of fresh vegetables and fruit, as much as possible grown locally. If not local produce, organizers try to ensure it is from Ontario. The goal of the Fresh Food Box program, funded by both Halton Region and the Ontario Ministry of Health, is to encourage Halton residents to eat more fruits and vegetables, and support local farmers. The produce in the boxes is approximately 60 per cent cheaper than it would be in a grocery store. When the program was launched there were 160 boxes going out each month. Today a total of 425 boxes are delivered throughout Halton with more than 200 of those going to Halton Hills and Milton residents. Of those 200, Moher said, 90 per cent go to Acton and Georgetown residents. She said the second packing location will allow the organization to double its capacity. Currently they are not able to offer any more boxes despite a waiting list to purchase the boxes. The only change Halton Hills-area residents will notice as a result of the new packing site will be their box pick-up day will change from the third Tuesday to the fourth Tuesday of every month. Moher said the program is currently recruiting volunteers to help out at the Georgetown site from approximately 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of every month. Volunteers can help out with packing the boxes, delivering them to the drop sites, quality assurance and preparing snacks for the volunteers. She said volunteers receive lunch. Volunteer drivers are also needed each fourth Tuesday afternoon to drive the organization's cube van and deliver the boxes to the drop sites. Those volunteers need a valid driver's licence and the ability to lift approximately 25 lbs. A volunteer orientation session is set for January 9. Anyone interested in volunteering is asked to call Moher at 905-6348645. (Lisa Tallyn can be reached at ltallyn@independentfreepress.com) Police investigating assault on coach Halton Police are investigating an assault against the coach of a Georgetown atom rep minor hockey team at Memorial Arena Saturday night. Police report at approximately 8 p.m., following a game between Georgetown and a Dundas-area team, the 38-year-old Georgetown man was leaving the dressing room with some equipment when he was confronted by a man believed to be a parent of a child on the opposing team. Police say the man yelled at him and pushed him in the chest causing the coach to stumble and drop the equipment. Another man intervened, and the man left. No one was injured.