On January 23, 2024, at approximately 12:30 a.m., North General Patrol officers observed a stolen Ford F150 XLT Supercrew operating at Selkirk Avenue and McPhillips Street.
With assistance from Central General Patrol and Community Support Units, a distant follow was initiated, and officers requested support from the Flight Operations Unit (Air1).
Noting police presence, the driver immediately fled from police; however, officers were able to deploy a stop stick, partially disabling the vehicle. Due to the danger posed to the general public, Air1 maintained visual containment of the vehicle and guided units on the ground.
Air1 members observed the vehicle stop near Clifton Street and Ellice Avenue, where the driver and an occupant exited and fled on foot. A long item, later determined to be a firearm, was also seen being discarded by one of the suspects as they fled. An adult male and an adult female suspect, hiding in separate yards in the 700 block of Clifton Street, were located by officers and placed under arrest without incident. Officers recovered a sawed-off .22 calibre bolt action rifle in a residential backyard, determined to be the item discarded by the male suspect.
Through their investigation, officers learned the 2016 Ford F150 had previously been reported stolen to Steinbach RCMP on November 28, 2023. Stolen license plates and a stolen reciprocating saw were also seized as evidence after officers searched the vehicle.
A 41-year-old male from Fairford, MB, is facing the following charges:
- Possession of a Prohibited or Restricted Firearm with Ammunition
- Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm
- Flight while Pursued by Peace Officer
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5,000
- Operation of a Conveyance While Impaired to Any Degree by BAC or Drug or a Combination of Both
- Fail or Refuse to Comply with Demand
- Operation of a Conveyance While Prohibited by Order Under Criminal Code
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5,000 x 3
He was detained in custody.
The female passenger was released without charges.