Crime spree nets 27 months in prison
Man pleads guilty to two dozen charges
A21-year-old man who pleaded guilty to two dozen criminal offences spanning one and a half years has been sent to jail for nearly two years. Derek Edward Schalk, who originally faced 56 charges, pleaded guilty Monday in Lethbridge provincial court to six residential break-ins and eight motor vehicle thefts. He also pleaded guilty to six charges of possession of stolen property, and single charges of attempted vehicle theft, possession of a firearm without a licence, gasoline theft and breach of recognizance.
Many of the residential break-ins occurred during daylight hours when no one was home, Crown prosecutor Brad Stephenson told court. Schalk entered the homes by prying open doors and windows or cutting through screens. Once inside he stole anything of value he could get his hands on, including TVs, cameras, jewelry, computers, sunglasses, guns, cash and alcohol.
He stole both trucks and cars, including a BMW, and he was caught on video surveillance breaking into a vehicle and another time driving one. Police found stolen property in at least one of the vehicles, along with fingerprints, and while Schalk often broke into the vehicles, at least once he drove away in a vehicle that had been left running while the owner simply ran into her home to get something.
Schalk, who has been in and out of custody and court ever since he was charged with some of the offences in 2016, was granted bail last month on some charges. However, two weeks later he breached released conditions and was placed back in custody. Schalk had been ordered to obey a 24hour-a-day curfew, but when he showed up at his mother’s house and she realized he had broken curfew, she called police.
Schalk was also charged with gasoline theft Feb. 5 after he was caught on the gas station’s surveillance camera. Although not clearly defined in the video, the investigating police officer thought he recognized the culprit, and when Schalk was questioned by police, he admitted his guilt.
Two other men were also involved with Schalk in many of the offences, but they pleaded guilty previously and were sentenced. Schalk was sentenced to 27 months in prison, but credited for the equivalent of about five months spent in predisposition custody, leaving him with 22 months to serve.
He will also be on probation for 18 months following his release from jail, during which he is to remain in Alberta, take counselling for substance abuse and life skills, and make restitution of nearly $2,500 to one of his theft victims. He’s prohibited from possessing certain firearms and weapons for 10 years, and others for life, and from consuming alcohol and other intoxicating substances. He’s also prohibited from being in a motor vehicle without the owner.
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