Multiple area residents have been arrested following an Alberta RCMP operation focusing on priority offenders, particularly those who are known or suspected to be involved in crimes against oil, electricity and critical infrastructure sites.
RCMP conducted the operation between Nov. 24 and Dec. 5, utilizing the Crime Reduction Units (CRU) of all four Alberta RCMP districts, the Community Response Team (CRT), RCMP Air Services, Police Dog Services, the Emergency Response Team, as well as multiple detachments.
Altogether, police arrested 14 alleged offenders, laid 40 new criminal charges, executed more than six arrest warrants and recovered six stolen vehicles.
The Alberta RCMP reportedly ranks about 85,000 unique offenders in the province based on the harm they cause in individual communities. The Strategic Analysis and Research Unit has developed a matrix to help determine the level of harm caused using the Uniform Crime Severity Index to rank these individuals.
On Nov. 28, Air Services assisted the CRT and Drayton Valley RCMP in recovering two stolen vehicles and arresting two suspects. A vehicle had been left running with the keys inside while parked outside a business in Drayton Valley. The suspect allegedly entered the vehicle and drove off, and was located near a second stolen vehicle, leading to the recovery of both.
As a result of the investigation, a 23-year-old resident of Sunchild First Nation was arrested, and charges are pending for theft of motor vehicle. Police say he is ranked #327 in the province.
The following day, police were checking the residence of an offender and reportedly observed two stolen vehicles leaving the offender’s residence. Parkland RCMP, Wetaskiwin RCMP, the CRU and CRT intercepted the vehicles with assistance from Air Services and the Real Time Operation Centre. During the incident, one suspect allegedly rammed a police vehicle before being intercepted, and a tire deflation device was utilized to stop the second.
Police say the individuals are known partners and repeat offenders, and that without the additional RCMP support, likely would not have been caught that day.
The youngest male arrested is ranked #27 in the province, while the other is reportedly ranked #2816.
The 18-year-old, a Spring Lake resident, was charged with:
- Flight from police
- Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle
- Possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000
- Assaulting a police officer
- Fail to stop after an accident
The second individual, a 33-year-old of no fixed address, was arrested on a warrant out of Tofield for extortion with a weapon, and was also charged with:
- Flight from police
- Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle
- Possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000
- Driving while prohibited
- Resisting arrest
Both individuals were brought before a justice of the peace and remanded into custody.
“These operations are very important to the safety of Albertans as they allow for the use of varied specialized units to target prolific and priority offenders, and thus being proactive in our policing approach,” commented S/Sgt. Luke Halvorson, Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of Community Safety. “Thanks to the resources available to the Alberta RCMP, we are able to efficiently coordinate investigations such as these and make sure that no matter where a criminal commits their crimes, we will be there to catch them.”
Video footage of some of the arrests is available here.
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