In the last week Rimbey RCMP responded to 42 calls for service. These calls include but are not limited to: four suspicious vehicle complaints; three mischief files; three reports of fraud; and one impaired driving file.
An unsuspecting driver who had pulled over while travelling to take a quick nap may have thought he was dreaming, but ended up waking to a bit of a nightmare. While catching a few zees on the side of the road, the driver was awakened by the noise of some thieves attempting to steal fuel from his vehicle by drilling a hole through the gas tank. The thieves, who were completely oblivious to the fact their targeted vehicle was occupied, were just as startled. The gas thieves took off, but thankfully the caller was able to notice some details, and reported his strange encounter to RCMP.
When gas prices increase, so do instances of fuel theft. RCMP are encouraging drivers to be diligent in ensuring that their tanks are free from unnecessary holes. Ensure to check that your tank is not leaking the next time you pull up to the pump. In occurrences like this, thieves may get away with a few dollars worth of gas, but replacing a damaged gas tank is a costly repair, so its always better to be safe than sorry.
On April 5, RCMP were able to arrest a male for impaired driving after receiving a complaint of a truck swerving into oncoming traffic and hitting the ditch several times. RCMP pulled the suspect vehicle over and found the driver to be impaired after having failed the roadside breath test. The driver was arrested and is to appear in court on June 7, 2019.
Rimbey RCMP recovered two stolen vehicles this past week and arrested two individuals, both of whom have lengthy criminal records. On April 5, RCMP responded to a complaint of a suspicious male asleep inside a vehicle parked in a garage. Further investigation revealed that the male was suspected to have stolen a vehicle earlier that day, then later broke into the garage in hopes to steal a second vehicle. His attempt was foiled, however, as he fell asleep in the vehicle before he left the garage. He was located, arrested, and charged with theft of a motor vehicle as well as mischief and was remanded in custody. He is to appear in Red Deer court on April 23.
Later that same afternoon while Rimbey RCMP were investigating a stolen vehicle complaint, RCMP happened upon a different vehicle which also happened to be stolen. Officers located and arrested the sole occupant who was later charged with possession of stolen property.
Also on April 5, Rimbey RCMP assisted the Central Alberta Crime Reduction Unit in arresting three suspects who were involved with a break and enter on a rural property. The trio were reported to have stolen firearms as well as a vehicle from the property. Following a lengthy search, the suspects were located, arrested, and charged with multiple offences including mischief, theft of a motor vehicle, theft of firearms, possession of stolen property, and breaking and entering. The trio will appear in court at a later date.
If you have information on this or any other crime, contact your local RCMP Detachment at 403-843-2224 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Crime Stoppers can also be contacted online at www.P3tips.com, or you can download the P3 Tips app for Android or Apple on your smart phone. You do not have to reveal your identity to Crime Stoppers. If you provide information to Crime Stoppers that leads to an arrest, you could be eligible for a cash award.