(File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Susan McNeil

Charges laid

One Arrow, Saskatoon men charged in string of ATM, vehicle thefts

Aug 23, 2024 | 3:55 PM

A 49-year-old man from One Arrow First Nation has been charged along with a Saskatoon man following a string of thefts of ATMs and vehicles across Saskatchewan.

Kelly Almightyvoice from One Arrow and 58-year-old Wesley John of Saskatoon were arrested following a lengthy RCMP investigation.

According to police, an officer from Saskatoon responded to an alarm at a business in the detachment area on November 18, where they found a seriously damaged door and a heavy chain.

Further investigation revealed that a vehicle had pulled up to the business, and the suspects broke in and chained the ATM to the vehicle. They then pulled the cash machine out of the building and also took about $20,000 worth of cigarettes.

Officers found the ATM in a nearby field.

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It was just one of many thefts that police tied together, using evidence from surveillance cameras to help.

On March 9 of this year, officers arrested one of the suspects on Highway 11 south of Saskatoon.

The investigation continued, however, and investigators linked 20 incidents in the province, ranging from Tisdale and Humboldt to Watrous and Raymore, and as far as Weyburn and Shaunavon.

Red dots mark the locations where the thefts happened. (submitted/RCMP)

Included were six ATM thefts and many thefts of motor vehicles.

Officers executed a search warrant on a home in One Arrow on August 1 and arrested the second suspect there.

Wesley John will make his first court appearance on August 29 and Kelly Almightyvoice appeared before a Saskatoon judge on August 21.

Each man is charged with 24 counts of break and enter, 12 counts of possession of the proceeds of crime, and 14 counts of wearing a disguise while committing an offence.

“I’m proud of the work of Saskatoon RCMP investigators and the many other police officers and staff from across the division who came together and were able to prove these crimes were connected – and identify the suspects,” said Insp. Ashley Levy, Saskatchewan RCMP’s Central District Operations Officer.

These included Saskatchewan RCMP’s Forensic Identification Services, General Investigation Section and Warrant Enforcement and Suppression Team.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com