Police are reporting high numbers of vehicles continue to be stolen in town and throughout Central Alberta.
Innisfail Cpl. Don Morrish said in the month of September the local detachment responded to 11 calls of stolen vehicles or ones that had been recovered.
“The majority of these vehicles are Ford Super Duty trucks but there have been other vehicles involved as well,” said Morrish. “The Innisfail RCMP has been actively investigating not only the theft of these vehicles but also following up on any offences related to the possession of these vehicles.”
Morrish said since May local RCMP have executed search warrants on two locations where vehicles and other stolen property were being disassembled, points of interest to police that are commonly referred to as “chop shops”.
He said police have laid possession of stolen vehicle charges against numerous individuals.
“However the trend seems to be continuing,” said Morrish. “Additional charges of possession of stolen property and vehicles have been laid against multiple individuals, as a result of information from the public, traffic stops and day-to-day enforcement.”
Morrish said Innisfail RCMP are urging citizens to report any suspicious activity by individuals or motor vehicles, and “not attempt to engage, pursue or apprehend the stolen vehicles or their occupants.
“The people stealing the motor vehicles are quite often very unpredictable, which makes following or chasing suspected criminals extremely dangerous, not only to people directly involved but for bystanders as well,” said Morrish. “This type of action could result in serious consequences, both civil and criminal, for not only the bad guy, but for the well-intentioned citizen as well.”
Morrish emphasized citizens, while their intentions may be good in their desire to help police, do not have specialized training, approved policies, supervision, emergency lights, sirens or legal authority to “engage suspected culprits in a pursuit of any kind.”
Break-in at town yard
Police are pursuing the culprits who broke into a paint shed in the town public works yard late last month and then vandalized buildings, equipment and fences in the municipal property, as well as property in the adjacent Westwood Court Mobile Home Park.
At about 7:45 a.m. on Sept. 25 Innisfail RCMP members were dispatched to investigate a report of a break and enter and mischief at the town's public works lot, located south of the intersection of 37 Street and 57 Avenue.
RCMP said culprits forced their way into a small shed, which contained numerous cans of paint. They went on to cause extensive damage to vehicles, buildings and fences within the town-owned lot, said police.
“The hooligans continued to travel through the adjoining mobile home park, spray-painting fences and whatever else they could manage until they eventually reached 42 Street where the damage finally stopped,” said Innisfail RCMP Cpl. Don Morrish.
Craig Teal, the town's director of planning and operational services, confirmed the break-in and said extensive damage was done to town property.
“It was not looking good first thing Thursday (Sept. 25) morning,” said Teal. “There was spray-painting on all the bay doors of the west building and on all the heavy equipment, on the cabs, windows, mirrors -- pretty extensively.”
Teal said town staff used graffiti removal kits to clean up most of the paint that was sprayed on buildings and equipment.
Morrish said this incident is still under investigation by the RCMP. He said if any citizen has information about the crime he or she should contact Innisfail RCMP at 403-227-3342 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
