Over the span of less than one week, the Sundre RCMP detachment received several reports of criminal activity occurring on rural locations northeast of town, resulting in three arrests.
Over the span of less than one week, the Sundre RCMP detachment received several reports of criminal activity occurring on rural locations northeast of town, resulting in three arrests.
Local authorities responded to the reports, which occurred March 19-22, and three Calgary men were subsequently located and taken into custody as well as charged with numerous offences in relation to their victimization of property owners in that area. The following is a timeline of what led to the arrests:
On March 19 at 9:30 a.m., police were called to a property near Rge. Rd. 50 and Twp. Rd. 334, where a red 2013 Dodge pickup truck had been stolen. The truck contained about $7,000 in cash as well as a briefcase that contained business documents. A white 2017 BMW was recovered near River Road, and that vehicle contained evidence that connected it to the theft of the Dodge pickup. The BMW was reported stolen out of Calgary.
On March 21 at 1:50 p.m., police were called to a property where the residence had been broken into and the home searched. Several personal items were stolen. Later that same day at about 5 p.m., a rural property owner reported that his 2005 grey Dodge pickup truck with a white topper was stolen from his residence.
On March 22 at 3:53 a.m., police were called back to the property where the red 2013 Dodge pickup had been taken to be informed by the homeowners that a white 2008 Chevrolet Malibu was stolen from their yard. Then, at 5:18 a.m., police were informed that the white Malibu and the grey Dodge pickup were located abandoned on Twp. Rd. 334 near Rge. Rd. 50. Prior to police arriving, the caller stated that a lone male walked out of the bushes and entered the grey Dodge pickup and quickly departed that area. The white Malibu was recovered by police.
A few hours later at 8:49 a.m., several citizens called police to report that they located a lone male and were requesting a police presence. The suspect was found by property owners, who were driving around the area when they came upon the male walking on the road.
At 2 p.m., another member of the public reported that a suspicious male was walking along a range road and appeared to be looking into driveways. While police were searching the area for that person, officers located a stolen 2014 white Jeep Grand Cherokee that had been reported stolen out of Calgary.
By 4:30 p.m., police had finished recovering the white jeep, and while leaving the scene, officers observed a grey Dodge pickup parked in a field near Rge. Rd. 51 and Twp. Rd. 334. A male was located sleeping inside the vehicle and it was determined that the pickup was the one reported stolen to police the previous day.
At about 7 p.m., one of the two males who were taken into custody provided police with information on the location of the red Dodge pickup that was stolen on March 19. The vehicle was located and recovered.
At 9:42 p.m., residents in the area reported a suspicious male who was walking on Twp. Rd. 334. The male had been seen attempting to build a fire in the ditch in an attempt to warm up. The citizens called police and kept the male occupied until officers arrived. The suspect was then arrested.
Bronson Palmantier, 23, from Calgary, faces numerous criminal charges including possession of stolen property, obstruction, two counts of assault with a weapon, breach of release conditions as well as possession of a controlled substance. He was also charged provincially for trespassing. Palmantier was remanded into custody and appeared in Didsbury court on Monday, March 27, when his case was adjourned until Monday, April 3 for bail hearing.
Daniel Stoffels, 27, from Calgary, faces criminal charges for nine counts of possession of stolen property as well as four counts of breach of release conditions. Stoffels was remanded into custody and appeared in Didsbury court on Monday, March 27, when his case was also adjouned until Monday, April 3 for bail hearing.
Derryck Gerbrandt, 28, from Calgary, faces criminal charges for two counts of possession of stolen property as well as a breach of release conditions. Gerbrandt was remanded into custody to appear in Alberta provincial court in Didsbury on Monday, April 3.
A lot of credit goes out to the area's property owners, who were very vigilant and kept an eye out for suspicious activities and persons. Their assistance is greatly appreciated and with their help, police were able to locate and arrest these suspects as well as recover property that had been reported stolen, said Cpl. Joe Mandel.
The Sundre RCMP detachment's members encourage all Sundre and surrounding area residents to continue to report suspicious activities by contacting the local headquarters at 403-638-3675.
— With files from the Sundre RCMP
