OLDS — Two men in their early 20s are facing several charges in connection with a stolen SUV, thanks to an alert off-duty RCMP officer.
It all began at about 4:15 a.m. on Nov. 5.
An off-duty Olds RCMP officer had just finished his shift and was on his way home in his personal vehicle when he saw two men acting suspiciously in a residential area of Olds, according to an RCMP news release issued today.
As he approached them, both men quickly entered an SUV and fled down a pedestrian pathway.
The officer recorded the licence plate number of that vehicle, called the Olds detachment and learned that it had been stolen from Red Deer the previous day.
The off-duty officer continued to do surveillance on the stolen vehicle until an on-duty officer showed up and attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle.
The SUV” fled at a high rate of speed," according to an RCMP news release.
“The officer did not pursue, as the driving pattern posed too much potential of danger to the public.”
Both officers continued patrolling the area, searching for the suspects.
A short time later, the off-duty officer saw the two suspects walking near the downtown core.
“Although they had changed clothing, he recognized them from his initial observations," the release said.
“He contacted the on-duty officer, relayed their location and both officers were able to surprise and apprehend the two males.”
The stolen SUV was located a short distance away.
As a result of this incident, a 21-year-old Didsbury-area man and a 20-year-old Red Deer man are expected to face several charges, including possession of stolen property, dangerous driving and flight from police. Their names are being witheld until formal charges are laid.
Their names are being withheld until formal charges are laid.
"The actions and persistence of these officers certainly speaks to the level of dedication they have to keeping their community safe -- both on-duty and off-duty," Staff Sgt. Jim MacDonald said.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Olds RCMP at 403-556-3323 or local police service.
Anyone wanting to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the P3 Tips app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store.
