A cable technician has admitted to providing crucial information to robbers ahead of a violent 2024 home invasion in Windsor that left two elderly homeowners injured during a struggle, according to court proceedings this week.
Cable Technician's Role in the Crime
Raymond Hunter, 43, pleaded guilty to being a party to the robbery during a hearing before Superior Court Justice Bruce Thomas. The technician had been responding to a service call for cable installation on February 29, 2024, when he observed a collection of 15 or more wrist watches in a watch box in a main floor bedroom.
Assistant Crown attorney Janelle Clayton told the court that Hunter contacted a friend about the valuable timepieces, who then notified Nicholas McCullogh. "A plan was devised to commit a robbery to obtain them," Clayton explained during Wednesday's proceedings.
Execution of the Violent Robbery
Approximately two weeks later, on March 18, McCullogh and accomplice Tucolin Downey arrived at the residence around 9:35 p.m. wearing face masks, gloves, and dark clothing. Hunter had shared a pin on a map of the exact address with McCullogh just half an hour prior to the invasion.
The assailants knocked the front door off its hinges and entered the home. According to the agreed statement of facts, one robber brandished an item that looked like a firearm and yelled that they were police. As one assailant approached the homeowner, the elderly resident took a swing but was knocked down and assaulted with the weapon-like object, sustaining blows to his head and face.
Injuries and Aftermath
The elderly homeowner sustained significant injuries including small cuts and bruising to his nose and face, bruising to his right ear, welts to his forehead and back of his head, a lump on his left forearm, and an abrasion to his elbow. Both assailants fled the scene, with the second robber pushing the homeowner down again during their escape and throwing a purse belonging to the homeowner's wife at him.
Downey, 33, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to one count of breaking and entering of a dwelling and committing an indictable offence. McCullogh, 32, had previously pleaded guilty to breaking and entering to commit robbery and is awaiting sentencing. Downey told police he learned of the plan from McCullogh earlier that day and "felt that he had to go along."
Legal Proceedings and Convictions
All three individuals involved in planning and executing the crime have now been convicted. The case highlights how seemingly routine service calls can be exploited for criminal purposes when technicians observe valuable items in homes.
Assistant Crown attorney Janelle Clayton described the violent home invasion to the judge, emphasizing the vulnerability of the elderly victims and the premeditated nature of the crime. The convictions bring some closure to a case that has drawn attention to home security concerns and the ethical responsibilities of service providers entering private residences.
