One person stated they were “shocked” when they read a missing person’s press release issued by Cobourg Police on Monday, July 22, 2019.
The “missing person” is 58-year-old Rodney Starke who is actually wanted on a Canada Wide Warrant. “He’s a very dangerous individual in my books,” said one police source.
“Anytime a federal individual breaches any conditions when they are released, as soon as that is a breach it’s a federal scenario.”
Starke was just released from Warkworth institution after serving a full 17-year sentence for a violent assault on a woman with sexual implications. It was his second sentence after serving a number of years for sexually assaulting and stabbing a woman on the pretext of buying her car.
The police source stated both attacks on the women were, “very similar circumstances.
Starke was released with a 10-year supervision order, which he has apparently already violated after just being released from Warkworth Institution.
Starke was to report to police and check into a halfway house with only daytime liberty. He was to report to the half-way house each night and remain on the premises overnight.
With not reporting, Starke has already violated his order and is now wanted on a Canada-wide warrant.
Once released, the police source stated, “there was a procedure he was supposed to be following.”
Starke was released from Warkworth Institution and arrived in Cobourg to take a train to Toronto. But he never boarded the train. Starke was to take the train Cobourg to Toronto then it’s believed he was to take a flight to Alberta where he is from.
But when he got to Cobourg, he disappeared.
“He is a person who should be treated with all kinds of caution,” said another person who is familiar with Starke.
In what some may consider a surprise, Communications coordinator Laurie Debattista stated, the Cobourg Police Service is aware there is a Canada wide warrant for the individual.
“At that time it was just a missing person,” Debattista told Today’s Northumberland referring to when the release was issued approximately one day ago.
There is no word from police on who called to report Starke missing.
“We haven’t updated it because it’s with Correctional Canada right now. He’s still technically a missing person for Cobourg, but we’re looking to Correctional Canada to send out a media release. We don’t know what he was in jail for, he recently did get out of jail, but we don’t what he was in for, if he is a threat to the public, nothing has come out from Corrections Canada to indicate that. So he’s still just considered a missing person with Cobourg Police.”
The original press release issued by Cobourg Police on July 22, 2019 at 1:30 p.m. stated, “The Cobourg Police Service are looking for Rodney STARKE, as there is a concern for STARKES’ wellbeing. He was last seen in the area of the Midtown mall located at 500 Division Street in Cobourg at approximately 8:30 this morning. He is described as 58 years of age, approximately 189 lbs, 6”0 tall, Caucasian, and bald. He was last seen wearing a white t shirt and dark colored shorts. He may also be seen carrying a large sized duffle bag along with 2 boxes.
If know if his whereabouts, please contact the Cobourg Police immediately. 905-372-6821.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
