Crime and vandalism spree continues in Morinville

A Canada Post employee cleans a vandalized group box on the corner of 98 Street and 99 Avenue Tuesday afternoon. The box is one of several vandalized in town this summer. Police are currently talking to several suspects in other vandalism incidents in the community. – Stephen Dafoe Photo

By Morinville News Staff

Morinville – Attempted break-ins to buildings and vehicles as well as the willful destruction of property continue to be a problem in Morinville this summer. Morinville RCMP have responded to several resident and business complaints over the past couple of weeks and are currently investigating several property crime files.

Constable Yelena Avoine of the Morinville RCMP Detachment said police received a call around 6:50 a.m. Aug. 14 advising the side window of CX Shooters in downtown Morinville had been smashed and an attempt to bend the security bars had been made. No entry to the building occurred.

The same morning police received complaints of vehicles being broken into. Avoine said overnight Aug. 14 a Honda SRV on 99 Street and 100 Avenue had its back window broken into and items stolen from it. Another vehicle on 99 Avenue and 100A Street was broken into although nothing was stolen. The latter complaint was the resident’s second vehicle break-in in two weeks.

Avoine said as the three incidents happened the same night it is possible the three crimes are related. “At this point we don’t have any suspects, so we are seeking anyone that may have been travelling,” Avoine said. “There’s traffic at that time. It might have happened earlier.”

The thefts follow on another vehicle-related theft that occurred Aug. 8. In that complaint a generator, carb saw and two gas cans were stolen from the box of a pickup truck in the area of 107 Street and 98 Avenue.

Police talking to vandalism suspects

Police are talking to a number of vandalism suspects ranging in age from 14 to 17. Constable Avoine said some names were obtained as a result of police investigations into a series of vandalism complaints.

The first occurred in the area of 103 Avenue and 96 Street where a set of Canada Post mailboxes were knocked off their foundation. Another resident of the same area complained their house had been egged. Names were provided as a result of the second complaint, allowing police to have a chat with the young suspects.

“We’re in the process of talking to all the suspects at this time,” Avoine said, adding it is not known if there is a connection to other recent acts of vandalism in Morinville this summer.

Impaired charges laid over weekend

An 18-year-old male will make an appearance in Morinville Provincial Court after being charged with impaired driving Aug. 11. An RCMP officer on a routine patrol just before 3 a.m. Aug. 11 observed some erratic driving on 100 Street.

After stopping the vehicle, the officer smelled liquor. further investigation resulted in the vehicle being seized and the young male charged.

Police are not releasing the name of the accused. He will make his first court appearance Sept. 20.

Riviere Qui Barre incident troubling

A 15-year-old girl was left shaken after an uncomfortable incident in Riviere Qui Barre. Police say around 11:30 a.m. Aug. 13 the young woman left her home to get the mail when she was approached by two people in a newer model white pick-up truck, possibly a Ford.

Constable Avoine said the female driver and male passenger inquired of the girl how to get to St. Albert. “She went pretty close to the truck giving directions,” Avoine said. “She told us in her statement the male passenger grabbed her hand and said, ‘What’s your name?’ She started running and then the truck headed westbound from Riviere Qui Barre.”

Avoine said what is particularly intriguing about the incident is the girl’s claim she went to hide at a local garage and observed the truck stopping and the female driver getting out to get mail at a group box.

“We’re working on that trying to see if that truck was seen there before and why the male tried to grab her hand,” Avoine said. “The young lady indicated she had possible seen the same truck before with the female but has no idea who they are.

Anyone with information on any of these incidents is asked to call the Morinville RCMP at 780-939-4550.

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