Now both suspects in the case of a truck stolen from Blackfalds, which ended up jammed between a light post and Steven's Jewellers have been identified and charges have been laid.
The incident occurred on Jan. 11.
The female passenger: Leanne Ruth Petit, 32, of no fixed address, has been charged with possession of stolen property valued at more than $5,000 and failing to comply with a condition of her recognizance (release from custody).
She was released to appear in Provincial Court in Didsbury On Jan. 21 but failed to appear. A warrant was issued for her arrest.
Krock was arrested in Uptowne Olds on the afternoon of Friday, Jan. 11 after the truck he was driving got stuck between a light pole and the former Stevens Jewellers building as he tried to evade police.
The suspect abandoned the stolen vehicle and fled on foot while RCMP gave chase, apprehending him a short time later.
“...The only reason we’re able to catch this one is from local people in town paying attention. They kept calling us in and we were able to get him cornered here and nobody got hurt,” said Const. Kurtis Milbrandt.
Trackside Sales & Service owner Marvin Morrison said the suspect attempted to steal his personal truck from outside his business at about 1:15 p.m.
"My parts guy just noticed that there was a service truck sitting in our lot. We get those guys all day — lots of them stop in for parts or whatever, driving service trucks," Morrison said.
"He was taking cardboard to the bin and he saw a guy in my truck. So he hollared 'can I help you?' And the guy jumped in the truck and took off.
"He'd already smashed the lock on my ignition.
"So then we finally got the cops over and one fellow — my other parts guy's son — showed up and he went for a drive and he saw them and he was following them and they ended up down over here, I guess.”
Based on the witness’s directions, Milbrandt said an officer saw the suspect on 51st Street.
“The vehicle tried to flee but got pinned between a light pole and the buiding. He fled on foot. The officer was able to catch him on foot. And turns out the vehicle was stolen out of Blackfalds,” the officer said.
“Obviously when we’re in a town like Olds, the size of Olds, with the traffic that we do have going through here, we don’t want to initiate a pursuit with it. We don’t want other members of the public to get injured because these guys usually lose their heads and they don’t care if they run through you or run over you, they’re just trying to escape the police.”
Morrison said none of his staff were injured during the incident, including those who followed the suspect.
The only "injury" is to his wallet.
"Just $600 to replace an ignition switch; that he isn't going to pay for, I'm sure," he said.
Morrison has insurance, but he said the deductible is $1,000.
Once RCMP had the initial suspect arrested, they continued to look for a second person thought to be involved in the incident. A female was located at Boston Pizza less than an hour later and apprehended.
Police have not released whether charges have been laid in the incident.
This past fall, Olds RCMP Staff Sgt. Jim MacDonald said property crime in Olds had fallen to the lowest rate in five years, but Morrison isn't seeing that.
"A year ago in November we had a guy drive right in there and steal nine chainsaws out of the warehouse — right at noon," he said. "(In) broad daylight. (We) got it all on camera. Don't matter."
Morrison described the crime rate in Olds and area as "ridiculous."
"I live out by Reed Ranch. It's rampant out there, it's rampant in town," he said.
"A year ago we were broken into 11 times between September and November. Not this last year but the year before (in 2017)."
"The cops can do their job but the justice system doesn't," Morrison said, adding in his view, those who perpetrate crimes get "a slap on the wrist" from the courts.
However, Morrison thinks Citizens On Patrol, which restarted in Olds at the end of 2017, has reduced some potential crime.
"I think that's why we haven't been broken into at night for the last year," he said. " Any time you've got eyes around, they don't like it."
