On Thursday, November 27, 2025, at approximately 4:00 pm, Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) 3 District (Welland/Pelham) Uniform Officers responded to the area of King Street near Division Street for a sexual assault call for service. Detectives with the Sexual Assault Unit subsequently took carriage of the investigation and identified a suspect.
On Friday, November 28, 2025, 88-year-old Biagio CROGNALE of Port Colborne was arrested for the following criminal offence:
Sexual Assault, contrary to section 271 of the Criminal Code of Canada
CROGNALE remains in custody and is scheduled to attend a bail hearing on Saturday, November 29, 2025 at the Robert S.K. Welch Courthouse in St Catharines.
CROGNALE is known to drive a White Kia Sorrento. Detectives are requesting that businesses and residents in the area review any video surveillance footage at the time of the incident. Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Niagara Regional Police Service at (905) 688-4111, option 3, extension 1009638.
Members of the community who wish to provide information anonymously can contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-8477(TIPS). Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to people who contact the program with information which leads to an arrest.
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