Lac La Biche RCMP are reporting a significant increase in stolen vehicles and break and enters in the last few weeks. RCMP communications officer Roxanne Genereaux told the POST that there have been 150 total calls between Feb.
Lac La Biche RCMP are reporting a significant increase in stolen vehicles and break and enters in the last few weeks.
RCMP communications officer Roxanne Genereaux told the POST that there have been 150 total calls between Feb. 19 and March 2, which include 13 stolen vehicles, 11 home break and enters.
The charges also include a number of drug, harassment and vandalism charges.
The specific incidents profiled by the RCMP that have taken place generally occurred within or near the borders of the Hamlet of Lac La Biche.
Among the incidents include one on the afternoon of Feb. 19, a called was made complaining of a 42-year-old man harassing customers at IGA. When the manager kicked him out, the man allegedly left flashing his buttocks and then harassed customers outside. He was arrested at the scene and charged with mischief.
Two days later, a complaint was made against a man allegedly acting erratically at Lac La Biche Inn and threatening to break the Inn’ s windows. Police also found a 25-year-old man by Scotiabank on 101 Avenue with the wall by an ATM broken. Police checked him and found a controlled substance on him. He was arrested on two counts of mischief and one count of possession of a controlled substance.
On Feb. 22, a 44-year-old man reported a stolen blue Ford F150 by his shop on Mission Road. He then noticed a grey Ford F250 driving suspiciously along the road.
He followed the F250 before seeing the stolen blue truck and turned to follow it. The complainant then said a black Dodge Ram drove to the passenger’ s side of his car. He then said he heard a loud bang, which he believed to be a shotgun.
The man later talked to the POST under condition of anonymity, and said that he found what appeared to be empty shotgun casings at the scene, and showed a picture of them he took on his cell phone.
The complainant in the incident wasn’ t hurt. The matter is still under investigation.
The man told the POST that he has lived in the Lac La Biche region his whole life and he had never experienced anything like this before. He also said he knows of other people who have victims of thefts and crime like this, including an individual who had their house emptied by a robber.
The number of break and enters in Lac La Biche County has gone up from 66 in 2014 to 187 in 2016.
The man said he believes that higher ranked peace officers and more surveillance cameras could be part of a long-term solution.
RCMP is advising anyone who has information about this incident to contact them or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
Genereaux advised the public to make sure vehicles are locked and keys are not left inside the car. She advised people to contact police if they see a stolen vehicle and said not to pursue them.
She also advised people to lock their doors and get a neighbour to keep an eye on their residence when they’ re away from extended periods of time.
