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COPY 75¢ (70¢ + 5¢ asm) 28 Pages Budget hike wi be 4.5% torts Fi "land in the St. i Beach: ges of "i sold some of its land a few years ago to: us raise 'money: for the camp. Eleven new e builtin community just eas of Caesarea on | e shores of : Residents believed 'thby. were. [i promised by township officials that the i 4 section of road leading to the new homes | would not be brought up to: what is known as urban standards, which includ- ed such things as curbs, gutters, street- lights and pay /ement, said one resident. Please turn to page. 21 ly down. By Chris Hall Port Perry Star Scugog's finance and administration committee approved a 4.5 per cent tax hike for the township yesterday morning. After nearly three months of work and discussions, the committee whittled a property tax increase down to 4.5 per cent. It sat as high as 7.2 per cent at the end of February. | On an average home valued at $150,000, the tax hike means an increase of $27.05. It's been a few years since Scugog resi- dents faced a tax increase. In 2000, the township approved a slight tax decrease. There was very little haggling over the final... ae and _ capital budgets "Monday oming. "Both 'décumerits have been meticulously examined by township staff, councillors and budget chief Marilyn Pearce. Residents will be asked to fund $617,900 for the capital budget and an additional $4,858,861 for the township's operating budget. In total, that's $5,496,761, including an estimated $20,000 to cover the township's deficit for 2000. Please turn to page 14 26 Division Eo ak wide-ranging theft team 'By Rik Davie Port Perry Star Good old-fashioned police work by two 26 Division detectives is credited with the busting of an alleged province- wide crime spree that lasted five years. The investigation began a little over a "month ago, after a local grocery store was robbed using a method known in the trade as 'till-tipping'. It usually involves two people buying small items at a gro- cery store and then blocking the view of the cashier with their bodies while an accomplice pries open the tray of the cash register. directly behind the sus- pects, While Durham Regional Police are tight-lipped about details of the case now before the courts, it is known that Det. Greg McAllister, who investigated the local theft, found similarities to other incidents, some of which went back as far as five years. Det. McAllister and partner Det. Paul Mooy began to contact other police forces, and a province-wide investigation was begun. It eventually led to the arrests of two Toronto men on allegations they participated in as many as 60 'till-tips' since 1996. The detectives work out of 26 Division in Port Perry. The suspects are alleged to have hit stores across the GTA, as well as in Orangeville, Bolton, Cornwall, Brockville, Rockwood and the Niagara Region. Charged with 60 counts each of theft spanning a five-year-period, are two Toronto men. Police have issued warrants for the arrest of further suspects in con- nection with the same offenses. Staff Sgt. Dietmar Schoenrock called the work by Det. McAllister "outstand- ing". ; "This at first appeared to be a simple matter of theft," Staff Sgt. Schoenrock said. "But Det. McAllister ran with it, and did an outstanding job in taking the case to this point." 'Compton Communications 905-985-8171 www.compton.net HIGH SPEED INTERNET ON CABLE FAST, VERY FASTI RELIABLE SECURE CONNECTION THAT's ALWAYS ON/ INSTALLATION, CABLE MODEM RENTAL AND FIRST MONTH *Cfter for residential installations only, asd teins 3 onli path sarin conmilnt Ofer dagiten lay 31. 2001 WORRY FREE T.V. and we're not stopping ¢ therel " § a _--------