Three individuals are being charged in relation to a work truck being stolen from a residence in Hinton last month.
After receiving the complaint on Jan. 10, RCMP located the stolen vehicle and attempted a traffic stop, but the three occupants bailed out the truck.
According to police, two of the occupants were located a short time after the incident, and the third was located with the assistance of RCMP Police Dog Services.
All three received medical treatment for minor injuries.
Hinton residents Tiffany Lalonde, 34, and Daniel Petit, 33, were charged with possession of property obtained by crime and obstruction.
Lalonde and Petit were brought before a justice of the peace and released on conditions.
They are scheduled to appear at the Alberta Court of Justice in Hinton on Feb. 7.
Hinton resident Jerod Radrum, 42, was charged with possession of property obtained by crime, obstruction, operation while prohibited and possession of a controlled substance.
Radrum was brought before a justice of the peace and remanded into custody.
He is scheduled to appear at the Alberta court of Justice in Hinton on Feb. 21.
RCMP did not confirm if the truck was idling or not when it was stolen but did mention in the same news release that Operation Coldstart was conducted in Hinton last month.
The program aims to work with the public to reduce the thefts of idling vehicles during the winter.
“Warming up your vehicle briefly before your commute might seem convenient, but this convenience can turn into a serious problem when your vehicle is stolen. Vehicle-related crimes often occur due to opportunistic situations,” said Cpl. Mike Fulton of the Alberta RCMP’s Community Safety and Wellbeing Branch, in the new release.
“The goal of Operation Cold Start is to reduce crime by educating Albertans on steps they can take to help keep their property safe.”
The Alberta RCMP offers the following tips for vehicle safety:
- If you can’t park in a garage or driveway, ensure that you’re parking in a visible well-lit area.
- Visible anti-theft devices like steering wheel locks can help mitigate vehicle thefts and break-ins.
- If possible, look into automatic car starters as an option to warm your vehicle.
- Never leave your vehicle unattended if the keys are in it.
- Always lock your vehicles doors even if you’re parked in a driveway or garage.
- Never leave valuable items like wallets, keys, purses, or even change visible in an unoccupied vehicle.
- Most modern engines do not require a ‘warm-up’ period. If your vehicle does need to warm up, do not leave it unattended.
