High-risk offender Matthew Donald Adlam rearrested after alleged indecent acts on Oshawa transit buses, police say
OSHAWA — Matthew Donald Adlam, a 52-year-old Oshawa man previously identified by police as a high-risk offender, has been rearrested after being accused of committing two indecent acts aboard Durham Regional Transit (DRT) buses, according to the Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS). Police said the latest arrest occurred on Dec. 27, 2025, after a report of a man allegedly masturbating on a bus, and investigators have linked Adlam to a similar incident reported on Dec. 16.
The atmosphere: a mugshot and a renewed sense of urgency
The image associated with the case is a stark booking-style photo: an adult male against a flat gray background, his expression fixed and unsmiling. He has a shaved head and a graying beard, with a prominent tattoo spanning the left side of his face from forehead to cheek. The clinical stillness of a mugshot contrasts with the public-space setting described by police — a transit bus where ordinary commutes can suddenly feel exposed and unsafe.
In cases like this, the tension is less about dramatic crime-scene tape and more about the immediacy of an allegation occurring in close quarters: passengers sitting within feet of one another, the confined aisle, the sense that help may be just a stop away yet painfully distant in the moment. The arrest, police say, followed officers attending the scene and taking the suspect into custody — a swift response that underscores the seriousness with which authorities treat reports of sexual misconduct in public.
What police say happened on DRT buses
In a statement issued Monday, DRPS said officers responded after receiving a report about a man who was observed masturbating on a DRT bus. Police wrote:
“Officers attended the scene, located the individual, and took him into custody.”
Investigators say Adlam is also linked to a similar incident reported on Dec. 16 on a DRT bus near Gibb Street in Oshawa. DRPS has not publicly identified complainants, nor released additional details about the victims or passengers involved. Police have characterized the allegations as indecent acts in a public transit setting.
According to police, Adlam now faces:
- Two counts of committing an indecent act
- Two counts of disobeying court orders
Police said he was held for a bail hearing. As of the latest available updates, no additional public information has been released about the outcome of that bail process, any changes to the charges, or future court dates.
Background: earlier public warning about a “high-risk offender”
The rearrest follows a recent public safety advisory issued by DRPS in October, when police warned residents about a high-risk offender identified as Matthew Donald Adlam residing in Oshawa. In that advisory, police said he had been released from custody earlier in the year and assessed as presenting a heightened risk to the community.
Police have previously outlined that Adlam has a criminal history that includes convictions for serious offences, including sexual offences and breaches of supervision conditions. The earlier advisory described a range of conditions typically associated with strict community supervision — including restrictions around contact, curfews, substance use, and weapons — and underscored that police were alerting the public due to concerns about risk management and community safety.
In the latest case, DRPS alleges the new incidents also involved disobeying court orders, which can indicate suspected non-compliance with existing conditions while under supervision in the community.
Community reaction: concern, but limited visible online discussion
Despite the seriousness of the allegations and the earlier public advisory, the online public reaction captured in widely used local channels appears muted so far. A review of available social media and community forums showed no significant or sustained discussion tied directly to this arrest in the immediate aftermath, and no verified local quotes were prominent at the time of reporting.
That lack of a visible social-media wave does not necessarily reflect a lack of concern. Cases involving alleged sexual acts on public transit often trigger anxiety for riders because they occur in shared, everyday spaces — buses, stops, and shelters where passengers may have limited ability to move away, particularly at night or during less busy service hours.
What this case clearly illustrates is not a documented trend in transit incidents — police have not released broader DRT-specific indecent-act statistics in the available updates — but an ongoing challenge faced by law enforcement and community supervision systems: how to monitor and enforce conditions for individuals assessed as high-risk after release, especially when allegations arise in public settings where potential witnesses are numerous but identities can be difficult to confirm.
What’s next: investigators seek tips and potential additional complainants
DRPS is asking anyone with information — including witnesses who may have been on DRT buses during the reported incidents — to come forward. Police have directed tips to the investigating officer, Detective Dellipizzi, via the non-emergency line at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 2766. Anonymous information can also be provided through Crime Stoppers.
Police have not said whether they believe there may be additional incidents or complainants. However, in investigations involving alleged offences on transit, detectives often encourage riders to report any similar encounters, even if they did not initially contact police at the time.
Adlam is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.