Coaldale, Taber RCMP and Taber Police Service nab B&E suspect

Posted on August 9, 2018 by Sunny South News

By Nikki Jamieson
Sunny South News

A joint effort between three police agencies led to an arrest in Taber last week.

On Wednesday, Aug. 1, Coaldale RCMP followed a suspect travelling eastbound on a motorcycle on Highway 3.

The suspect had been identified as allegedly being involved in property offences, including break and enters, that took place in the Strathmore area.

Coaldale RCMP had been alerted by another detachment that the suspect was travelling in their area, and the suspect matched a clothing description and a photo. The suspect had also allegedly evaded police earlier in the day by driving at high speeds on a motorcycle

“We were going to engage and did not engage in a pursuit with him, so we weren’t racing after him with lights and sirens kind of thing, because he being on a motorcycle, we’re not going to pursue him,” said staff sgt. Glenn Henry of the Coaldale RCMP.

“Plus these are just property crimes; no one’s life is put at risk over property crimes. So what we did was waited for an opportunity where he stopped, and when he did we closed in and arrested him.”

Coaldale RCMP followed the motorcycle driver along Highway 3, until the suspect eventually stopped shortly after 1 p.m. at the intersection of Highway 3 and 55th Street in Taber, Alta. Taber/Vauxhall RCMP and Taber Town Police had been alerted that he was coming their way, and all three departments made the arrest.

“Basically, what happened was we were monitoring him we were using an un-marked vehicle and we, of course, had called ahead, so the Taber RCMP were aware that he was coming down the highway and we were a ways behind him, and we contacted The Taber Police Service, because we were coming through their jurisdiction, and we obviously didn’t know what his intentions were, but he pulled off into a gas station in Taber, so the decision was made that this was the best opportunity to get him before he gets going again.”

Henry said the suspect was not from the area. As of press deadline, no charges have been filed against the suspect, which would be faced in the Strathmore area, where the crimes were committed.

Henry praised the teamwork of the three police services for the good, quick work they did in catching the suspect.

“These things are fast moving and fluid, it was a really good example of RCMP detachments and the Taber Police Service quickly coming together and putting a plan together, and executing it really within a matter of minutes. It shows that we can do good work when we work together.”