At least five individuals have been arrested in the last two months due directly to area residents being vigilant in their neighbourhoods.
Bashaw RCMP Sgt. Bruce Holliday is glad that citizens and businesses in Bashaw and around the detachment area are committed to assisting the police in doing their work.
“I want to recognize the members of the public, our rural crime watch members, business owners and industry partners who have all played vital roles in assisting our investigators,” said Holliday in a release Dec. 5.
“The timely reporting and vital evidence derived from various video surveillance systems have been key factors in these arrests and laying charges against the individuals allegedly responsible.”
Suspicious vehicle
Back in October, a Donalda resident reported a suspicious vehicle on Main St. in the village and when an officer from Bashaw arrived on scene, the vehicle was determined to be stolen.
The officer was able to apprehend a man that was with the vehicle, which had been taken from Red Deer. The individual was also found with more than 42 grams of methamphetamine along with drug packaging material, scales, brass knuckles and tools that are normally used for break and enters.
Kyle Harstad, 33 of Red Deer, is now facing charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of break-in tools and several counts of failure to comply with conditions. He was also out on bail for charges in other areas of the province, so he is currently being held in custody.
Also that month, RCMP from Bashaw were able to corral three suspects allegedly involved with several stolen vehicles, weapons and drugs.
Stolen vehicles
Following up on a citizen’s report of a suspicious vehicle being driven erratically near Bashaw, officers located a tow truck that had been stolen out of Brooks. Police then arrested Joseph Read, 33 from Grande Prairie, who had been driving the vehicle.
As officers conducted the investigation, a second tow truck that was also stolen from Brooks was recovered as well as 46 grams of methamphetamine, several cell phones, scales, bear spray plus break and enter tools.
Read has been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of a restricted weapon, possession of break-in tools and several counts of failure to comply with conditions. He remains in custody pending his next court appearance.
Bashaw RCMP have also a pair of suspects following the recovery in October of a travel trailer stolen from Red Deer and a Dodge pickup stolen out of Fairview.
With the help from Blackfalds RCMP, 31-year-old Kevin Dewar and Danielle Greer, 26, are facing numerous charges including vehicle theft.
However, both were released on bail and have failed to appear on the charges, so the court has issued arrest warrants for the pair.
Recovered
Significant work by Bashaw RCMP officers not only located a huge cache of stolen property, but has led to the arrest of a suspect.
Late in October, officers received information from the public about a truck stolen out of Stettler County that was likely related to thefts in both the City of Camrose and in Lacombe County.
Officers, with support from the Central Alberta District Crime Reduction team, were able to gather enough evidence to convince a court to issue a search warrant that was executed on a Lacombe County property.
As a result, police were able to recover the stolen truck along with other property that included a dump trailer stolen from Blackfalds, a pair of ATVs stolen from Beaumont, a dismantled Dodge truck stolen from Three Hills and a Polaris Razor stolen from Red Deer.
The suspect — Nicholas Klinck, 26 of Lacombe County — wasn’t found during the search. However, Blackfalds RCMP managed to arrest him on Dec. 2 in a separate incident. Klinck is being held in custody pending a court appearance and is facing several charges including several counts of possession of stolen property and vehicle theft.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Dewar and Greer, or have information on these or any other crime, please contact the Bashaw RCMP detachment at (780) 372-3793 or the local police. Those wishing to remain anonymous should call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).