A Sundre man was among several suspects recently nabbed by an RCMP unit in connection with numerous unconnected vehicle thefts.
The Grande Prairie Crime Reduction Unit recovered several stolen vehicles in unrelated incidents on Jan. 11-12, reported police.
On Jan. 11 at approximately 7:30 p.m., the unit assisted members of the Beaverlodge RCMP detachment in locating and apprehending a male in a vehicle that had been stolen from Grande Prairie hours earlier, said police in a press release dated Jan. 17.
James Noble, 38, of Grande Prairie, has been charged with six offences, including the following: possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000; flight from police; and possession of methamphetamine as well as cocaine. Noble is to appear in Grande Prairie provincial court on Jan. 22.
Shortly afterwards that same evening at about 9:30 p.m., the unit tracked a stolen pickup truck to a rural location in the Bezanson area. With the assistance of police dog services, two males were taken into custody without incident.
Brandon Moench, 38, of Sundre, has been charged with the following offences: possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000; flight from police; and driving while unauthorized. Owen Stockton, 23, of Debolt, Alta., was charged with possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000. Both men are scheduled to appear in Grande Prairie provincial court on Jan. 29.
A few hours later on Jan. 12, at roughly 12:30 a.m., the unit — along with the assistance of general duty members — located another stolen vehicle in a hotel parking lot in the west side of Grande Prairie. A female driver was arrested and taken into custody without incident.
Jessica Smith, 20, of Grande Prairie, was charged with the following offences: possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 and failure to comply with probation order. She is to appear in Grande Prairie provincial court on Jan. 29.
Finally, at approximately 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 12, RCMP officers located a stolen vehicle in the Patterson area of Grande Prairie. When police attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the motorist began driving in a dangerous and erratic manner. Due to the risk posed to the public, police did not pursue the vehicle, which was located a short time later by the unit and subsequently tracked to a location in Clairmont, where the driver was taken into custody without incident.
Robert McGeorge, 43, of Grande Prairie, has been charged with six offences, including possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 and attempting to elude police, as well as six counts of failing to comply with recognizance. He was remanded to custody to appear in Grande Prairie provincial court on Jan.17.
