Local Mounties have been instrumental in busting up a major stolen property operation that netted about 800 new tires at a rural acreage near Three Hills.
Innisfail RCMP Sgt. Lori Eiler said her detachment received a call for assistance from the Edmonton Police Service at about noon on May 25 to help locate a stolen tractor-trailer unit. The vehicle was stolen from Edmonton and believed to be travelling on Highway 2 and filled with new tires, said Eiler.
She said RCMP stopped the stolen vehicle on Highway 2 near the Innisfail overpass. The driver was taken into custody but the trailer was empty.
The police investigation continued and led RCMP to a rural property near Three Hills that had a suspicious pile of tires visible from the road.
Members from the RCMP's Three Hills and Innisfail detachments stopped a vehicle leaving the property and some missing tires were uncovered, said Eiler. Three males were arrested during that stop.
RCMP then obtained a search warrant and were successful in recovering about 800 new tires, said Eiler.
Trevor Michael Morgan Wilvers, 38, of Grande Prairie, has been charged with possession of stolen property exceeding $5,000, trafficking stolen property, breaching a recognizance and operating a motor vehicle while disqualified.
Kevin Lee Brown, 51, of Grande Cache, has been charged with two counts of possession of stolen property over $5,000 and one count of trafficking stolen property. James William Wallace Hussey, 42, of Rumsey, has been charged with trafficking stolen property and possession of stolen property over $5,000, and Corey Allen Pasemko, 35, of Grande Cache, has been charged with trafficking stolen property, possession of stolen property over $5,000, and two counts of breaching previous release conditions.
Wilvers and Brown appeared in court last week for a bail hearing while Hussey was released on $1,000 cash and $4,000 no-cash deposits. He was scheduled to appear in court on May 30. Pasemko was released on a $6,000 no-cash deposit. He was scheduled to appear in court May 27.
