The two suspects of a vehicle theft in North Battleford on easter Sunday have been charged with multiple offences. (file photo/battlefordsNOW)

By battlefordsNOW Staff

Charges laid

Car thieves charged in North Battleford

Apr 5, 2021 | 4:11 PM

The suspects arrested by RCMP on Sunday while driving a stolen vehicle were charged with multiple criminal offences Monday.

The incident occurred Sunday morning, when the owner of a residence North Battleford answered a door and was accosted by two suspects, one of whom produced a weapon. The owner provided the keys to a white Buick Century and the two suspects took off in the vehicle.

Around five hours later, an officer in an unmarked vehicle driving east on Highway 40 towards Battleford came across the suspects’ vehicle, calling ahead for police to covertly deploy spike strips. The vehicle, when a stop was attempted, fled and hit the strips.

“The vehicle stopped a short distance later and everyone [in the vehicle] was arrested,” Staff Sgt. Jason Teniuk said.

Twenty-four year-old Neishia Baptiste from Moosomin First Nation, is charged with six offences, including flight from police, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, possession of property obtained by crime and failing to comply with a probation order. Twenty-three year-old Delainey Moosomin from North Battleford is charged with robbery with a weapon, theft of a car, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, breaking and entering into a residence and mischief under $5,000. Both were also charged with obstructing a police officer.

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Teniuk said they believe this incident, as well as other recent vehicles thefts involving firearms, are isolated incidents stemming from a variety of factors, including the change in seasons and backgrounds of several of the perpetrators.

“They’re typically people who’ve been involved in the criminal justice system for a long time, in a wide variety of crimes, spend the majority of their life in and out of the correctional system,” he said.

Teniuk added while it’s rare to see these sorts of situations where an individual is threatened, it’s still critical to reduce the chances of them occurring.

“An incident where somebody would demand your keys in a threatening manner is not something that happens very often,” he said. “Getting these people off the street is definitely a good thing for the community, there’s no two ways about that.”

To deter the possibility of further vehicle thefts, Teniuk said the best strategy to is to make sure yours is locked when unattended. For many criminals, these sorts of crimes are ones of opportunity, thus, securing your vehicle take away opportunities.

“Gives them a chance to second guess the decision,” Teniuk said. “Whereas, once someone comes to get something out of a vehicle, they will [likely] come a second or third time.”

Baptiste and Moosomin appeared in North Battleford Provincial Court earlier on Monday.

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cjnbnews@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW