At about 5 a.m. on Jan. 2, four males broke through the rear door of the Northside Convenience Store in Saddle Lake, causing significant damage to the interior and exterior of the building.
The suspects removed the ATM machine, which was bolted to the floor along with an undisclosed amount of merchandise. The theft was caught on video surveillance and the incident remains under police investigation.
Anyone with information regarding this offence can call the St. Paul RCMP detachment or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Around 5 p.m. on Jan. 1, St. Paul RCMP received several reports from motorists about two young girls frantically trying to flag down passing cars towards an unknown situation by the skating rink at Foundry Park.
When an RCMP member arrived, he found the problem to be a child in distress from not being able to remove one of their skates due to a stubborn knot in the laces. The officer was able to use his handcuff key to loosen the knot, and the skate was safely removed.
Police discretion was used not to charge the knot with mischief.
Around 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 1, St. Paul RCMP and local emergency services were dispatched to a collision on Northwest 4 road in Saddle Lake. A van carrying seven people was struck as it exited a driveway by a westbound pickup truck. The driver of the van became trapped in the vehicle but was successfully extracted by Saddle Lake fire and rescue crews.
Several of those involved were transported by ambulance to local hospitals, but no serious or life-threatening injuries were reported. The exact cause of the collision remains under investigation at this time.
In the early morning of Jan. 1, St. Paul RCMP responded to a 911 hang-up call from the Ashmont area regarding a possible male with a firearm. Officers canvassed the area and attended a residence where a commotion could be heard from inside.
Police were confronted with an extremely intoxicated and aggressive male who yelled obscenities at them before slamming the door. The male yelled at officers that the night was going to end in a shoot-out.
RCMP quickly entered the residence to arrest the male who struck one constable with a glass bottle in the process. Police were successful in taking the suspect into custody during which time the man threatened to kill one member and cause serious harm to another in graphic detail, while glorifying past mass murders of RCMP officers.
Kristopher Donald Mullen, 39, currently of Ashmont, has been charged with Assault with a weapon on a police officer, uttering threats to cause bodily harm and death, resisting arrest and obstructing a police officer in the execution of his duties.
In addition, Mullen was found to be on outstanding warrants out of Lloydminster and Saskatoon for assault, theft, and breach of probation charges. He will appear in St. Paul Provincial court on Jan. 21 for a bail hearing.
St. Paul RCMP responded to a report of an aggressive male damaging property and being abusive towards staff at the St. Therese Heath Center during the early morning hours of Dec. 27.
When Police arrived at the hospital, the male was engaged in a physical struggle with the on-staff Alberta Health Services peace officer. The man was confronted and subdued by police before being taken into custody.
The 50-year-old St. Paul area man was charged with two counts of assault on a police officer, one count of assault on a peace officer, one count of assault on nursing staff, resisting arrest, as well as mischief/damage to hospital property.
The accused was remanded into custody by a Justice of the Peace for a bail hearing on Jan. 7 at the St. Paul Provincial Court.
