Alleged thief hit on head with propane cylinder after separate altercation at northern Ont. rail yard

An Elliot Lake man has been charged with theft, mischief and other offences following a series of incidents in the village of Spragge that ended in him being hit in the head with a propane cylinder.

A 38-year-old Elliot Lake man has been charged with theft, mischief and other offences following a series of incidents in the village of Spragge in the Township of The North Shore that ended in him being hit in the head with a propane cylinder, police say.

At about 5 p.m. on Aug. 29, members of the East Algoma detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to a call about break-and-enter incident at the rail scrap yard on Highway 17 in the northern Ontario community west of Sudbury.

"The suspect had loaded scrap metal in a trailer from the rail yard and a struggle ensued between the complainant and the suspect," said police.

"While waiting for police, the complainant then tried to box in the suspect vehicle and was unsuccessful as the suspect vehicle drove through a fence and fled the scene eastbound on Highway 17."

However, that was not the end of the alleged thief's adventure that day. Later that evening, police received another call for service concerning the same man.

"The suspect from earlier was hit (on) the head with a small, green propane cylinder during a physical altercation in Spragge," police said the caller told them.