TORONTO

The case of Mayor Rob Ford and the scared Toronto Star reporter won’t be closed this week.

Toronto Police confirmed Friday their investigation into the call was still ongoing.

Cops showed up at Ford’s house for a “possible trespass” call Wednesday after Ford confronted Star reporter Daniel Dale on public land behind his backyard.

Const. Tony Vella told the Sun Friday there was no update on the investigation.

“They are conducting a thorough investigation,” Vella said. “At this point they are still in the midst of their investigation.”

Dale met with officers Thursday afternoon. Star officials said Dale swore under oath his phone was “dead” when he dropped it and “raised the issue” with police about a call being made from the reporter’s phone after he had fled the area.

The mayor’s office confirmed surveillance video from Ford’s home was handed over to police Friday.

The bizarre incident started around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday when a neighbour knocked on Ford’s door and told him someone was behind his back fence peering into his yard and taking pictures. Ford — at home with his wife and two children — confronted Dale, igniting a new chapter in the ongoing feud between the mayor and the newspaper.

Dale has maintained he was investigating a story about Ford trying to purchase a slice of land from the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. Ford pointed out repeatedly to reporters Thursday the land he wants to buy is off to the side of his house, not behind it, and viewable from the street.

The Star devoted most of its front page Friday to the confrontation.

In a Star column penned by Dale responding to Ford’s accusations posted online late Thursday, the City Hall reporter said Ford is “absolutely right” that he had him “like a cornered rat”, that he shouted for help repeatedly when the mayor confronted him, that he asked the mayor not to punch him and that he dropped his phone and digital recorder.

“And yet, in its big omission, his story is wrong,” Dale wrote.

On Thursday, Ford didn’t mince words on what he thought Dale was doing.

“He was spying on me, that’s what he was doing,” Ford told the Sun.

Councillor Doug Ford said Friday, in his opinion, the Star has a “personal agenda” against the Fords and “don’t want us to stop the gravy train.”

“We’re the only politicians in the country, in the history of the country, that have ever challenged the Toronto Star. It drives them nuts,” Ford said.

Star spokesman Bob Hepburn stressed the newspaper “has no personal agenda with Mayor Ford or his brother.”

“We cover them in a professional and courteous manner,” Hepburn said.

As for Ford’s claim the Fords are the only ones who have challenged the Star, Hepburn said former mayor David Miller didn’t like the newspaper at the end of his term. He added former Ontario Premier Mike Harris and former Prime Minister Jean Chretien also “didn’t like us.”

“The list is long,” he said.