The Cochrane RCMP have arrested a Calgarian in connection with car break-ins and automobile theft.
On Oct. 21 local RCMP responded to a complaint at 1:30 a.m. of a stolen vehicle in Cochrane’s Fireside neighbourhood. Police patrolled the area, locating a suspicious male walking in the area. When questioned, the suspect fled and reportedly got into a stolen vehicle other than the one that had been brought to the scene. The male tried to flee in the vehicle when RCMP deployed spike belts to stop the vehicle.
The vehicle then crashed into a guardrail on Highway 22 and the driver and passenger attempted to flee. RCMP caught and arrested the suspect a short distance away. Charged with theft of motor vehicle, possession of stolen property, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, failing to comply with conditions of release, driving an uninsured motor vehicle, and driving without a licence is 19-year-old Justin Ward.
Police are still trying to locate another suspect, reportedly involved in the thefts and the passenger in the vehicle. Two vehicles and some articles of stolen property were recovered. Residents are being asked to secure their cars and homes at all times. Anyone with any information regarding this matter are asked to contact the Cochrane RCMP Detachment at 403-851-8000 or Crime stoppers at 1-800-222-8477(TIPS).
On Oct. 30, Cochrane RCMP responded to a residential fire at Stoney Nakoda First Nation in Morley around 11:30 p.m. Upon arrival, the officers found the house fully engulfed in flames and eventually burnt to the ground. As a result a separate grass fire also started.
No one was in the home at the time and there were no reports of injuries. The estimated damage to the home was approximately $100,000.
A suspect was detained at the scene by Stoney security. Charged with two counts of arson is 19-year-old Tyren Dixon.
A Stoney Nakoda First Nation five-year-old girl fell Nov. 1, where she was critically injured. The girl was at a private function at the Goodstoney Rodeo Grounds when she fell approximately 15 feet from the top landing near a flight of stairs.
The child sustained trauma to the head and was transported to the Children’s Hospital by STARS ambulance. The name of the child is not being released. According to a recent update from Cochrane RCMP, the girl is still in critical condition.
Two vehicles reported had their windows smashed Nov. 1 in Cochrane. The first “smash and grab” was reported at 2 p.m. where a vehicle parked by GoodLife Fitness at 210 Fifth Ave. had a wallet removed. The second theft was at 2:40 p.m. where the vehicle was parked at Spray Lakes Sawmills Family Sports Centre and a purse was reportedly taken. While reports do not indicate whether the items were in plain view, Cochrane RCMP are warning locals to keep valuable items out of sight in the vehicle.
“A lot of vehicle thefts are because items are in plain view – ‘smash and grabs’ are crimes of opportunity,” said RCMP Sgt. Jeff Campbell.
Despite local Facebook pages suggesting a Cochranite found a sharp object in their child’s Halloween candy, the Cochrane RCMP said nothing has been formally reported.
“Needles and razor blades in chocolate bars and apples has been an urban legend since the ‘90s,” Sgt. Campbell said. “But if it did happen (in Cochrane) please report it because we can’t solve it if we don’t know about it.”
The Cochrane RCMP are still investigating other recent thefts in and around the area. They also said crime sometimes comes in waves depending on who is in and out of jail at the time. Local RCMP also urge the public to be safe – as the majority of property crimes are usually drug-related. “We get a lot of spill-off from Calgary,” Sgt. Campbell said.
More tips for staying safe? With vehicle theft – keep everything out of sight. If leaving your vehicle overnight, take the vehicle registration out of the vehicle and keep it somewhere safe. And do a walk-around the vehicle at night and in the morning to see if the license plate is still there, as thieves are taking registration and license plates to use for stolen vehicles.
Local RCMP ask the public to call as soon as possible when they see something suspicious – the sooner the call the more likely the suspect will still be in the area.
Report all suspicious activity to Cochrane RCMP at 403-851-8000.
