Man facing numerous charges to appear in court today

A 30-year-old Lethbridge man facing numerous property crime-related charges is scheduled to make an appearance in Lethbridge provincial court today.

Kody Abraham Martens has been charged with multiple counts of possession of stolen property over and under $5,000, theft under $5,000, disqualified driving and driving without insurance. He is also charged with assaulting a peace officer, resisting a peace officer and mischief.

Lethbridge police say that just after 2:30 p.m. last Thursday they responded to a report that a man wanted by police was at a bank in the 700 block of 4 Avenue South. After police arrived the man became belligerent and combative, but following a brief altercation with officers, he was taken into custody.

The man was in possession of keys belonging to a stolen truck that was parked outside and to which was attached a stolen licence plate. A woman passenger was also arrested but later released without charges.

The suspect was charged with additional offences in relation to possession of several stolen vehicles — all stolen over the past two months — as well as stolen licence plates and a car prowling incident Jan. 22 in which he had a knife when the homeowner confronted him inside the vehicle.

Charges of failing to stop for police in Lethbridge and other rural jurisdictions are also pending, along with property crime charges stemming from incidents in Picture Butte and Coaldale.