By Trevor Greenway

A 29-year-old Ottawa man whose car broke down in Chelsea on Feb. 19 entered a resident’s house at 4:15 a.m. and poured himself a drink — rum, specifically. 

The owner of the house, a 29-year-old Chelsea resident, awoke to find a stranger standing in his kitchen, pouring himself a drink. The owner confronted the man in a calm manner and was told that his car broke down and he was looking for “somewhere to go.” 

“While remaining calm and talking to the unknown, the [owner] dialed 911 to inform officers of the situation,” said MRC des Collines Police in a statement. “The man, who wasn’t aggressive to [the owner], identified himself [to] the owner and simply told him that his car had broken down and that he was looking for somewhere to go.” The police did not say if the man drank his rum with ice or not.

Police arrested the man on the scene without incident, but later learned that the car he was driving was stolen and abandoned on the side of Hwy 105 near Scott Road after he lost control. The man then fled on foot and stole items from two vehicles parked in front of Chelsea residences. The man then entered the 29-year-old’s residence.

The suspect is known to police and has already faced several counts of probation breaches. He will appear in court this week. 

Police urge all homeowners to lock their vehicles and homes.