On April 1, 2022, officers of the Leduc Crime Reduction Unit obtained and executed a search warrant with the assistance of Leduc RCMP General Investigation Section and Drug Unit, Wetaskiwin RCMP Crime Reduction Unit, the RCMP Emergency Response Team, RCMP Police Dog Services and the RCMP Auto Theft Unit, on a rural property that they believed was being used as a chop shop in the area of Township Road 492 and Range Road 235 in Leduc County.
Four people were arrested at the scene.
As a result of the search, police seized a large quantity and variety of ammunition, firearms and prohibited weapons, vehicle identification number (VIN) fabrication equipment, and motor vehicle parts. Police also recovered several stolen license plates and nine stolen vehicles. The estimated value of the seized and recovered property is significant.
A 30-year-old male of Wetaskiwin, Alta. was arrested on outstanding warrants out of Parkland, Alta. and Wetaskiwin.
Following a judicial hearing, he was remanded into custody. He is scheduled to appear in Wetaskiwin provincial court on April 21, 2022.
A 43-year-old female, a 33-year-old male – both of Leduc County, and a 29-year-old male of no fixed address Monique Stephanie Gardner (43) and Corey Robert David Landry (33) of Leduc County and Steven Joseph Irvine (29) of no fixed address are jointly charged with multiple offences:
- Careless use of a firearm (X3)
- Tampering with a serial number (X2)
- Unauthorized possession of a weapon (X3)
- Possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000. (X6)
- Possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000. (X5)
- Tampering with a vehicle identification number (X2)
- Fraudulent concealment (X2)
The 29-year-old male was also charged with the following:
- Possession of a weapon contrary to order (X2)
He was also arrested on outstanding warrants out of Edmonton and the 33-year-old male was also arrested on outstanding warrants out of Leduc, Alta.
The 29-year-old male was brought before a justice of the peace who released him. He is scheduled to appear in Leduc provincial court on April 7, 2022. The 43-year-old female and the 33-year-old male were brought before a justice of the peace who released them both to appear in Leduc provincial court on April 28, 2022.
"Property crime remains a priority for the Leduc RCMP, and we will continue to dedicate resources who can collaborate with our partner agencies to target those individuals who cause the most harm to our communities," says Inspector Jeff McBeth, Officer in Charge of the Leduc RCMP. "We will continue to use intelligence led policing to steer the direction of our Crime Reduction Unit to relentlessly target and arrest prolific offenders."