Battlefords RCMP responded to 459 calls during the latest service period. (File photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By battlefordsNOW Staff

Break-ins

RCMP Report Pt. 1: Multiple break-ins, vehicle thefts again

Mar 10, 2022 | 5:23 PM

Break-ins continue to occur in the Battlefords, with winter weather still in effect.

Battlefords RCMP located and arrested 23 year-old Romellow Meechance on March 5. This occurred near the scene of a business on Sixth Ave. shortly after 6:00 a.m., where the alarm had gone off. Meechance was remanded into custody on charges of breaking and entering and mischief totaling over $5,000, as the business sustained several broken windows during the break-in.

He made his first appearance in court on Monday.

Back on March 2, police received a break and enter report of a commercial compound near Cochin that morning. Gas was reported stolen from the compound. The suspect vehicle, which had four occupants, is being described as a black GMC 1500.

Two other break-in incidents occurred last week, including a bizarre case at an apartment building on Kildeer Drive around 9:00 a.m. on March 3. The accused, a 36 year-old male, reportedly entered the building, threw around some garbage and then began to conduct a nonsensical interpretive dance number. Police arrested him at the scene and charges are pending.

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The other file involved the theft of some wood products from a business on the 500 block of Fifth Ave West in Battleford, sometime in the late morning or early afternoon of March 5.

Sgt. Neil Tremblay said members have not found connections to other incidents.

“Too early to tell on any of them, though the one in town looks like a one-off,” Tremblay said. “Intoxication might have played a part in it [the Kildeer incident].”

Vehicle Thefts

Police arrested 33 year-old Sunrise Spyglass on March 2, after locating him driving a stolen vehicle on 101^st Street on March 2. He’s facing charges of impaired driving, refusing to provide breath sample and possession of stolen property. Spyglass was remanded into custody and made his first appearance in court on March 3.

Of the 12 newly reported vehicle thefts, police are still looking for:

• A brown 2012 Ford F150 (Sask License 819-MLT) reported stolen from the 1800 block of 93^rd St. early in the morning of March 2.
• A green 2010 Toyota Camry (Sask License 519-MCL) reported stolen from 11^th Ave sometime on March 2.
• A black 2013 Chevrolet Equinox (Sask License 178-LXF) reported stolen from the 1400 block of 99^th St. sometime overnight on March 5.

Province-wide Problem

Battlefords RCMP have stressed the importance of not leaving a vehicle unattended with the keys inside, but that issue shared across the province.

Of the 1,519 vehicle theft files created by Saskatchewan RCMP jurisdiction in 2021, more than 100 vehicle theft reports a month, roughly 29 per cent were situations where the owners told police they had left keys inside the vehicle.

In a media release this week, Sgt. Scott Hunter, Saskatchewan RCMP Crime Prevention and Crime Reduction Unit, said their crime analysts sorting through data are able to trace criminal activities and trends, stressing the importance of preventing vehicles falling into the wrong hands.

“This intelligence-based information tells us that some stolen vehicles are additionally used in the commission of other crimes including break and enters, dangerous driving and flight from police,” he said. “So, vehicle thefts sometimes end up being more than just vehicle thefts.”

In addition to not leaving your keys in a vehicle or the ignition of recreational or agricultural vehicles, the RCMP also recommend removing valuables and removing garage door openers that could allow someone access to a home.

Anyone with information on any incident is urged to call the Battlefords RCMP, 310-RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

—

cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW