Red Deer RCMP arrested 13 people, executed 34 outstanding warrants and laid 34 new criminal charges on eight people in a four-day covert stolen vehicle operation last week that also netted a sawed off rifle, various drugs and stolen property.
The covert operation took place from Dec. 5th to 8th in Red Deer and area and involved police officers from the Red Deer RCMP Community Response Unit (CRU), GIS and general duty, the RCMP Emergency Response Team (ERT), Blackfalds RCMP and Police Dog Services. Covert strategies were used to avoid the public safety risks created by criminals driving dangerously or ramming police vehicles in their efforts to avoid arrest. RCMP recovered 11 stolen vehicles during the operation and continue to investigate regarding other recovered stolen property.
“While we aren’t going to divulge our methods of locating and tracking criminals in stolen vehicles in order to arrest them without harm to the public or to our police officers, I will say that our community – and the prolific criminals within it – can expect to hear about more of these types of operations,” said Inspector Gerald Grobmeier of the Red Deer RCMP. “Red Deer RCMP continue to aggressively apply pressure to habitual offenders through a wide range of targeted, evidence-based crime reduction strategies. This approach is how we police in Red Deer every day.”
Arrests and charges during the operation include: A 22-year old woman who faces six new criminal charges after being arrested in a stolen Ford Focus in possession of fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin. A 33-year-old male was arrested in a stolen car that had been left unlocked and running on Dec. 6th. He faces three new criminal charges. A 27-year-old man was arrested at a hotel in possession of a stolen vehicle. He was wanted on 15 outstanding warrants and now faces two new criminal charges. The woman was wanted on 11 outstanding warrants at the time of her arrest.
Four people were arrested in a Ford Escape that had been stolen out of Red Deer when it was left unlocked and running. A man was arrested with a sawed off rifle next to the driver’s seat and faces 11 new criminal charges. A 22-year-old woman was arrested on eight outstanding warrants and charged with failing to comply with court-imposed conditions. A 32-year- old man faces a charge for obstructing and resisting a peace officer.
A 45-year-old man faces two criminal charges after being arrested in a stolen Toyota Corolla in possession of cocaine. A 29-year-old man was located in a stolen vehicle while parked in a handicapped parking space at a gas station. At the time of his arrest he was in possession of bear spray in contravention of court imposed conditions. He faces six criminal charges and a traffic charge for illegally parking in a handicapped spot.
RCMP also arrested a 34 year-old-man for impaired driving – not in a stolen vehicle – after he drove over a median in front of police officers who were taking part in the covert operation.
– Connolly
