A vehicle stolen from Sundre was involved in a crime spree that spanned all the way to Rocky Mountain House and Sylvan Lake, police said.
Sundre RCMP received numerous complaints of erratic driving and threatening behaviour involving the same vehicle on Friday, Oct. 13.
The vehicle was involved in ramming a civilian vehicle, and the civilian was struck by one of the suspects when he exited his vehicle.
The vehicle was subsequently determined to be stolen, and Sundre RCMP advised neighbouring detachments to keep an eye out for it. The civilian suffered minor injuries as a result of the altercation and the matter is still under investigation.
By mid afternoon, the vehicle was seen in Rocky Mountain House and attempts to stop the vehicle were unsuccessful.
At about 4:25 p.m., an officer from Sylvan Lake as well as a traffic member attempted to stop the vehicle north of Sylvan Lake as the suspects were now travelling east. During this attempt, police deployed a spike belt successfully and the suspects' vehicle turned around and the member discharged his firearm.
Two of the three occupants ran off and broke into a residence occupied by a family with young children. They were unsuccessful in stealing any vehicles, however, they stole the occupants' cell phones. The two males then proceeded to an adjacent farmhouse and broke into the unoccupied residence, stealing keys and a pickup truck.
Members blocked this vehicle and the suspects rammed the police vehicle. Members discharged their firearms, and the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team is investigating the members discharging their firearms while the RCMP continues to investigate the suspects' activities throughout these incidents.
Two of the three occupants were taken to the hospital with injuries. All three occupants of the stolen vehicle were located. No charges have been laid as of yet, and the investigation is ongoing. Further details will be provided when they become available.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact his or her local police detachment. Callers who wish to remain anonymous can reach Crime Stoppers by phone at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), by Internet at www.tipsubmit.com, or by Short Message Service (check your local Crime Stoppers www.crimestoppers.ab.ca for instructions).
