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Red Deer RCMP sweep up eight property crime suspects over weekend

Appreciative of public’s help but there’s concern about endangerment
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Red Deer RCMP said Tuesday that thanks to public vigilance, they made a number of arrests related to property crimes over the weekend.

In two cases, citizens assisted police by detaining suspects who were attempting to flee. While RCMP do not encourage the public to ever put themselves at risk by confronting criminals, they are grateful for the support of the public in seeing that 41 charges were sworn against eight men for property crimes over a four-day period.

“These successful arrests were all made because citizens reported suspicious behaviour to the police when they saw it, and RCMP are so appreciative of the public engagement and support we’re seeing,” Red Deer RCMP Cpl. Karyn Kay said in a statement.

“However, police urge citizens to never put themselves in potential danger by confronting a criminal. You have no idea if they’re carrying a weapon, or if they’re intoxicated and likely to react violently and unpredictably in their efforts to escape arrest. The police are trained in tactics to subdue armed or aggressive suspects. Please leave that to us – we never want to see a member of the public injured as a result of a confrontation with a criminal.”

On Friday, at 3:30 p.m., police responded to a report of a stolen truck that was parked in a field at Hwy 11A and Range Road 273A. The occupant of the truck was wanted on several outstanding warrants from nearby RCMP detachments, and was taken into custody without incident. The truck had been reported stolen out of the Sundre area earlier the same morning.

A 26-year-old man is facing numerous charges including possession of stolen property over $5,000 and possession of bear spray while prohibited.

Also on Friday, at about 4 p.m., Red Deer RCMP responded to a report of suspicious activity downtown in the area of northbound Gaetz Avenue and Ross Street. On arrival, RCMP located a suspect who was wanted on an outstanding warrant and who was in possession of small amounts of ammunition, methadone and marijuana, in violation of probation conditions. A man, 20, is charged with four counts of breach of probation.

Shortly after 1 p.m. on Saturday, Red Deer RCMP arrested two men as they attempted to sell a stolen truck after arranging the sale online. RCMP located one suspect in the Village Mall parking lot, where he had arranged to meet a buyer who did not know the vehicle was stolen.

When police arrived, the suspect attempted to flee police on foot but was detained by a citizen and taken into custody by police. The second suspect was identified through the course of the investigation and arrested at a residence in the Highland Green neighbourhood shortly afterward.

Two men, both age 31, face related charges.

Also on Saturday, shortly after 2 p.m., RCMP responded to a report of a suspicious car in a parking lot on Halman Crescent. When police arrived they determined the SUV was stolen. As police contained the scene in preparation to arrest the male occupant of the vehicle, two citizens approached with a second suspect they had detained after catching him in the act of breaking into a nearby residence. That suspect broke free and attempted to flee police; after a brief foot chase and attempts to resist arrest, he was taken into custody.

The first suspect in the stolen car also attempted to resist arrest but was taken into custody after a brief altercation. RCMP seized a number of weapons (knife, bat, axe) from the vehicle that the first suspect was prohibited from possessing due to court-imposed conditions.

Two men, one age 32 and the other age 23, face several charges including possession of counterfeit money.

On Sunday, city RCMP arrested a man shortly after 5 a.m. after responding to a report of a suspicious vehicle and locating the suspect parked in a stolen SUV in a lot at 67th Street and Taylor Drive.

The suspect assaulted two police officers before being taken into custody; both police officers sustained minor injuries that didn’t require medical attention. The vehicle had been stolen out of Red Deer on Feb. 9 as it sat unlocked and idling.

Among other Criminal Code charges, the 25-year -old male suspect is charged with assaulting two peace officers.