Two local women who were suspects in the theft from the Real Canadian Wholesale Club are now in custody after landing themselves in a pursuit with Cold Lake RCMP.
Bonnyville woman, 54-year-old Judy Graver and a 16-year-old female from Cold Lake are charged with one count of theft under $5,000 for their crime at the Wholesale Club. Both are also facing charges of possession of stolen property for the vehicle used in the pursuit with Cold Lake RCMP, which police discovered was stolen.
On Dec. 10 around 7 p.m., the Bonnyville RCMP Detachment received a call for service from the Real Canadian Wholesale Club in town. The manager reported that two female customers failed to pay for two shopping carts full of groceries before leaving the store a few minutes earlier at approximately 6:45 p.m. The women left in a grey Pontiac car.
After evading the police for almost two weeks, on Dec. 23 they got involved in a chase with the Cold Lake RCMP.
“Basically, while on routine patrol, one of our police officers noticed a vehicle driving dangerously. The vehicle failed to stop for police, a pursuit was initiated and concluded on Highway 897, approximately five kilometres south of Highway 55,” explained S/Sgt. Jeremie Landry with the Cold Lake RCMP Detachment.
Landry added, “There was no damage to the property whatsoever, whether it be RCMP property or public property and no injuries resulted.”
The 16-year-old, who was behind the wheel, is also being charged with operating a motor vehicle while in pursuit by police. Further checks on Graver revealed that her theft from the Real Canadian Wholesale Club wasn't the first time she had stolen from a Bonnyville business.
“Judy Graver had been on a warrant for a similar theft from Tellier's Value Drug Mart in town from 2013. So, she'll be answering to those charges as well,” said Bonnyille RCMP Sgt. Sarah Parke.
After the lengthy police chase on Dec. 23 concluded a 25-year-old man, Graver's son, who was also in the stolen vehicle fled the scene on foot.
“The police sought the assistance of the police dog service from St. Paul, as well as the RCMP helicopters out of Edmonton in relation to that,” said Landry.
Unable to locate the man, a warrant has been issued and police are now asking for the public's assistance in tracking him down. His last known location was by the sails alongside Highway 28 at the City of Cold Lake's entrance.
“We don't believe the public to be in any danger by this guy,” Landry added.
Anyone with information can contact the Cold Lake RCMP Detachment at 780-594-3302.
After being taken into custody, the 16-year-old has since been released on conditions to appear in court on Jan. 5 in Bonnyville to answer for the charges in relation to the Real Canadian Wholesale Theft.
“Judy Graver did not speak to bail so she is still remanded into custody and her first court appearance will be Jan. 5 in Bonnyville for her Bonnyville matters,” said Parke.
In a release issued from the Bonnyville RCMP Detachment, it noted that while they were able to catch the thieves through another incident, police in Bonnyville received many tips from the public on this investigation.
The RCMP wants to encourage the public to continue to provide them with any information that could be relevant to any ongoing investigation. Parke noted that these types of theft are not uncommon right now.
“We are seeing an increase in break and enters. We can't confirm what the correlation would be, we can't blame it on any one thing, other than confirm there has been a rise in break and enters.”
Anyone with information related to a crime can contact the Bonnyville RCMP Detachment at 780-343-7200 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
