ROSTHERN - Six people were arrested following incidents of vehicle theft in the Rosthern Detachment area that saw a stolen truck and two police vehicles being destroyed by fire.
In the early morning hours of Sept. 11, Rosthern RCMP received a report of an assault that occurred and a firearm pointed at a person at a residence on Beardy’s & Okemases’ Cree Nation. A white truck was stolen from the same property by the suspect when they left.
Around 4 a.m., another report was received involving a white truck and a firearm discharged on Beardy's & Okemasis' Cree Nation.
Further reports included a white truck driving into the outside of a residence and also driving after another vehicle. One person reported minor injuries during the white truck theft.
RCMP they responded and searched for the white truck, but it was not located. However, the identified suspect was determined by police to have a warrant for arrest related to multiple previous investigations and charges laid.
Around 3 p.m., Rosthern RCMP received a report of a grey truck stolen by suspects with a firearm on Mistawasis First Nation. Multiple RCMP detachments and RCMP Warrant Enforcement and Suppression and Crime Reduction teams began investigating this report and searching for both the grey and white trucks.
Around 4 p.m., another report was received of two trucks – the grey stolen truck and another black truck that had been reported stolen overnight and was connected to the wanted suspect - driving erratically on Mistawasis First Nation. RCMP say all these incidents are believed to be related.
RCMP officers located the trucks driving together in a rural Rosthern detachment area. Officers activated their vehicle’s emergency equipment, but both trucks fled. RCMP officers followed the black truck into a field. The black truck drove a short distance before it stalled out in the field. An adult male and adult female were arrested and the wanted suspect fled on foot. Three firearms were seized from the black truck.
During the arrest of the suspects, the black truck started on fire in the dry field, which spread to two responding RCMP vehicles, destroying all three vehicles and damaging the field. Officers requested assistance from the nearest fire department while also ensuring the safety of officers at the scene and the suspects in custody.
The wanted male was located and arrested by RCMP Emergency Response Team and Police Dog Services officers a short while later in the same area. The male was treated for minor injuries at the scene.
The grey truck was located by responding RCMP Emergency Response Team officers in the Rosthern Detachment area and a tire deflation device was used. The grey truck got stuck in a drainage ditch and the lone occupant was arrested. A female and male were observed walking on a grid road a short distance away – the female was arrested and the male was arrested by RCMP Emergency Response Team and Police Dog Services officers a short while later in the same area after he fled on foot.
In total, six people, all of Beardy’s & Okemasis First Nation, were arrested. One person was released without charges.
Charges against them include robbery with a firearm, possession of property over $5,000 obtained by crime, fail to stop for a peace officer, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.,
The wanted suspect was also charged with uttering threats, break and enter, pointing a firearm, assault, robbery with firearm, careless use of a firearm and pointing a firearm.
