Five suspected in crime spree arrested near Vulcan
Weapons, drugs seized from rural property
Five suspects arrested on Tuesday by RCMP officers near Vulcan are implicated in a multicommunity crime spree.
According to a communique released Friday, Vulcan RCMP, Nanton RCMP and the Crime Reduction Unit arrested three males and two females, and seized items that had been stolen from the Vulcan, Medicine Hat, Brooks, Redcliff, Strathmore and Calgary areas on a rural property near Vulcan. A large amount of copper wire that had been stolen from numerous oil well thefts was also recovered, police said.
Brian Christopher Aske, 40, Ross Brian James, 37, both of whom have no fixed address according to RCMP, Shaun Laraine Matchett, 22, of Redcliff, Danny Robert Longbotham, 47, and Shannon Lynn Murray, 37, both of Vulcan, face numerous charges including possession of stolen property over $5,000, possession of stolen property under $5,000, possession of break and enter tools, possession of a prohibited weapon and possession of ammunition.
Aske, Matchett, James and Longbotham were remanded into custody after a judicial hearing and were scheduled to appear in provincial court in Lethbridge on Friday. Murray was released from custody on a recognizance and was also scheduled to appear in Lethbridge provincial court on Friday.
Vulcan RCMP arrested the five suspects after officers executed a search warrant on a rural property located near Township Road 174 and Highway 23.
Items seized at the scene, according to the RCMP, include five firearms, two crossbows, three bows, three ATVs, one ATV trailer, two cans of bear spray, a large amount of copper wire and 934 grams of cannabis. Police also discovered a cannabis grow operation on the property.
The Vulcan RCMP are asking the public’s assistance for any information in relation to these thefts. Please contact Vulcan RCMP at 403-485-2397 or your local police force. If callers wish to remain anonymous, they can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-2228477.
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