INNISFAIL – An attempted home invasion in town led to the arrest of six Red Deer-area suspects and the recovery of a substantial amount of stolen property, including stolen firearms, ammunition, and a cloned vehicle that was stolen three years ago.
“Property crime, break and enters and thefts are fairly concerning to the police,” said Innisfail RCMP Staff Sgt. Chris Matechuk, adding several other detachments and units assisted in the case. “We were able to obtain those firearms and get them off the streets, plus recover stolen property and return them to their rightful owners. It is important to us, yes.”
Matechuk said local Mounties responded in the evening of Feb. 18 to an attempted home invasion near downtown Innisfail. He said two males, who were later identified by RCMP, were reported as trying to break into the home while in possession of weapons.
On Feb. 19, Innisfail RCMP, with the assistance of the Central Alberta District Crime Reduction Unit and RCMP Air Services, attended a property north of Penhold along the C & E Trail to arrest the suspects, said Matechuk.
He said one was arrested without incident while the second fled in a Ford F-350, recently stolen out of Saskatchewan, with two other occupants.
Matechuk said RCMP pursued the suspects. He said police attempted to deploy tire deflation devices, but were not successful.
The F-350 travelled throughout Central Alberta to a location near Pigeon Lake where three occupants abandoned the F-350 and were picked up by a second Ford dually pickup truck, said Matechuk.
He said the dually was under observation as it travelled back into Red Deer where all five occupants were eventually arrested at two different locations in the city. Matechuk said the bust was assisted by the Red Deer City RCMP, Innisfail Integrated Traffic Unit and the RCMP Police Dog Services.
On Feb. 20, Innisfail RCMP with the assistance of the RCMP Calgary Auto Theft Unit and Blackfalds GIS executed a search warrant at the C & E Trail property, said Matechuk.
He said the RCMP seized items related to many property crime investigations throughout Central Alberta, including stolen firearms, ammunition, a stolen dirt bike, stolen tools, break-in tools and other weapons.
Matechuk said the dually was examined by the Calgary Auto Theft Unit and found to be a cloned (different vehicle identification number) vehicle that was stolen three years ago from a ranch near Strathmore.
The following suspects, all from the Red Deer area, have been charged:
• Gary Auvigne, 45, is facing more than 20 Criminal Code charges, including break and enter, use of a firearm while committing an offence, utter threats, possession of a stolen firearm and six counts of breaching a release document.
• Thomas Larkin, 41, is facing 17 charges including break and enter, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of break-in tools, flight from police and dangerous driving. He is also charged with seven counts of breaching a release document.
• Katherine Young, 29, and Thomas Foshay, 36, are both charged with possession of a stolen vehicle and possession of break-in tools.
• Adam Bogusky, 36, is facing seven criminal charges including possession of break-in tools, fraudulent concealment, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, dangerous operation of a vehicle and flight from police.
• Kameryne Boyd, 21, is charged with possession of break-in tools, fraudulent concealment and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.
Matechuk said the six suspects are all “known” to local Mounties, especially Auvigne and Larkin. He said the two men are suspected of being involved in the attempted Innisfail home invasion, which did not result in any injuries or stolen property.
Matechuk said Auvigne and Larkin were held in custody pending judicial interim release hearings scheduled for Feb. 26 in Red Deer provincial court. Young and Foshay appeared at their judicial interim release hearings and were released by a justice of the peace for future court dates.
Bogusky and Boyd were released by police for first appearance court dates on April 6, in Red Deer provincial court.
