Red Deer RCMP continue to see an increase in the number of stolen identity documents during arrests, and warn the public to take care to protect their identity, their bank and credit cards and their credit rating by not leaving wallets, purses or any personal documentation in vehicles.
They also are warning the public to check their mail daily.
Paralleling this increase in stolen identity documents, RCMP are also seeing a rise in attempted frauds by criminals sharing or re-selling those stolen identity documents among themselves.
Some of the recent arrests are as follows.
On June 20th at 1:30 a.m. RCMP responded to a report of suspicious activity and a suspicious vehicle in the Riverside Industrial area.
RCMP located an abandoned truck that had been stolen out of Red Deer; the truck contained a loaded sawed off shotgun, a small amount of methamphetamine and various pieces of stolen property.
Police Dog Services located a female suspect hiding in the area and took her into custody without incident.
RCMP have sworn the following charges against 31-year-old Tia Marie Cobbe at this time and continue to investigate the various facets of this incident – break and enter, possession of identity documents x 2 and possession of stolen property over $5,000. Cobbe will appear in court in Red Deer on Aug. 3rd.
Also on June 20th, RCMP were called to a bank in response to a report of a suspect attempting to open an account and obtain credit cards with false identification.
RCMP responded and arrested the suspect who was in possession of a fake driver’s license and Social Insurance Number as well as other personal documents in someone else’s name.
A 35-year-old man faces the following charges for fraud over $5,000 and use of a forged document. His name cannot be released at this time as those charges have not been sworn before the courts. He will appear in court in Red Deer on July 25th.
Shortly after 4 a.m. on June 22nd, Red Deer RCMP were called to a residential break and enter in progress after the residents woke and discovered a man in their home.
One resident sustained minor injuries restraining the suspect until police arrived and could take him into custody. The suspect was wanted on seven outstanding warrants at the time of his arrest, and was found to be in possession of items from a break and enter at a neighbouring residence the same day.
Jeremy Edward Hare, 21, faces the following charges in addition to his outstanding warrants – break and enter with intent, assault with weapon, possess break-in tools and theft under $5,000
Hare made his first appearance in court in Red Deer on June 23rd and appears again on July 10th.
On June 23rd, RCMP responded to a report of a shoplifter at a grocery store. On arrival, RCMP determined that the suspect was also in possession of a number of stolen identity documents, including personal cheques, and was further wanted on outstanding warrants out of Red Deer and Blackfalds.
Cora Nichole Bush, 37, faces the following charges – theft under $5,000, possession of stolen property under $5,000 x 2 and possession or trafficking in government documents x 5. Bush will appear in court in Red Deer on July 19th.
At 12:30 a.m. on June 25th, RCMP responded to a report of a robbery in progress in Riverside Meadows, after a man assaulted and attempted to rob a taxi driver. RCMP located the suspect hiding in a nearby dumpster, in possession of a small amount of cash and the victim’s cell phone. EMS attended to assess the taxi driver, who did not suffer any serious injury during the robbery.
Lance Mitchell Gibot, 28, faces a charge of robbery (CC 344(b)) and will appear in court in Red Deer on July 19th.
Shortly after 2 p.m. on June 27th, RCMP responded to a report of a stolen vehicle in a parking lot in north Red Deer. RCMP arrested the female in the vehicle without incident and seized several knives that the suspect was breaching conditions by having in her possession, and a number of identification documents that did not belong to the suspect.
Ashley Dawn Taylor, 30, faces the following charges – possession of stolen property over $5,000 and fail to comply with conditions x 13. Taylor will appear in court in Red Deer on July 14th.
At 10 p.m. on June 30th, RCMP on patrol in the downtown located a stolen truck being driven by a male suspect. Due to the high risk to public safety involved with stolen vehicles fleeing from police, RCMP tracked the truck at a distance until it stopped on 51A Street and the driver got out.
The suspect then attempted to flee police on foot but was arrested without incident. Police seized meth and drug paraphernalia consistent with trafficking from the suspect during his arrest and determined that he was breaching a number of court-imposed conditions, including a curfew. The Ford F350 had been reported stolen out of Red Deer on June 29th.
Robert Peter Kornelson, 36, faces the following charges – possession of stolen property over $5,000, possession of Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking and fail to comply with conditions x 2. Kornelson was remanded and appeared in court in Red Deer on July 4th; he will appear in court again on July 13th at 9:30 am.
Also, on July 3rd, Red Deer RCMP located and arrested a suspect in an aggravated assault that occurred the week before in which a man had been beaten with a crowbar and suffered a number of non-life-threatening injuries.
RCMP identified the suspect soon into the investigation and arrested him without incident. The victim and suspect were known to each other, and RCMP continue to investigate. The suspect was wanted on a number of warrants out of Nova Scotia at the time of his arrest.
David Charles Bent, 27, faces the following charges – assault with a weapon and aggravated assault. Bent made his first appearance in court in Red Deer on July 5th.
