TV thieves get jail time

Two men have been found guilty of theft after they walked into a Jasper resident’s home and stole his 42-inch plasma screen television right in front of him.

Matthew Chambers and Trevor Fraser pleaded guilty to charges of theft under $5,000 on June 10 at Jasper Provincial Court. They were both sentenced to 60 days in jail, although all of that sentence has already been served as the two men have been in custody since April 11. The men have now been released back into the public, with conditions.

According to Crown Prosecutor Kaj Jensen, on April 11, Fraser entered the home of a Jasper resident, took his television and placed it inside a car that Chambers was occupying. She said the theft appeared to be motivated by some sort of $300 debt that was owed to Fraser.

“One look at your record and I can imagine what the debt was for,” said Judge Don Norheim to Fraser.He said that the victims of the crime was also very well known to the court for their criminal activities.

Both men were living in Grande Cache at the time of the offense. They claimed to be working steady jobs, although they had been in custody due to concerns that they might flee their charges.

“I was a bad thing to do on my part, and I apologize,” said Fraser.

“I just apologize for wasting everyone’s time,” said Chambers.

“This comes very close to your to your former pattern of robbery,” said Judge Norheim to Chambers. Had Chambers committed a robbery here, Judge Norheim said he would be going to jail for a very long time.

Dunster man survives grizzly scare

A Dunster man who captured a charging grizzly bear on film is lucky to be alive.

According to CBC, Leon Lorenz of Dunster was filming the grizzly bear and her cub when it picked up his scent.

In a video posted of the incident, the agitated bear quickly circles the area, gathers her cub and runs full bore at Lorenz.

Seconds before the bear is upon Lorenz, he fires his .44 magnum into the air, startling the massive grizzly, which promptly runs away.

“It’s something that will stay with me for life... It was really something that I never expected and I think I’ve grown from it,” he told CBC.

“I think even if I would have hit her, even a very fatal shot … she would have had enough life left in her to do me in.”

The video is currently posted on youtube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9t3nejfTXg