Police monitored home prior to G20-related raid: Neighbours

[attach]1824[/attach]Police were monitoring a home on Elderwood Drive days before executing a raid that led to the arrest of a man on G20-related charges, say neighbours.

“A week ago, the policeman came in and they knocked on (my friend’s) door, asked her if they could park a surveillance van in front of her house, so they’ve been here for a week watching what they were doing,” said one resident of the street who didn’t want to give her name.

Police officers searched 58 Elderwood Drive, near Bathurst and Eglinton, and arrested Byron Sonne in yesterday’s afternoon raid.

Citing an ongoing investigation, police are remaining tight-lipped about details that led to the raid.

The neighbour said the accused lived in the home with a woman, and the pair was “always in the garden.”

She said they moved into home five years ago, and the woman is an artist.

The pair kept to themselves, said another Elderwood Drive resident.

“It’s interesting talking to neighbours because no one knew who they were,” she said. “I remember walking by many times and wondering who lived in there.”

The raid occurred just days before Toronto hosts the G20 summit, and security is on high alert.

“Last night, police were there until 1 a.m. at night and locked up everything,” said the neighbour.

Byron Sonne, 37, of Toronto, has been arrested and charged with intimidation of justice system participant by threat, intimidation of the justice system participant by watch and beset, mischief interfere with property, possessing explosives for an unlawful purpose and weapons dangerous.