Taber man still faces charges related to area break-ins

CHARGES AGAINST OTHER SUSPECTS STAYED

Only one of five men arrested in September relating to break-ins around southern Alberta still faces criminal charges.

Dustyn McCracken of Taber, who is in custody at the Lethbridge Correctional Centre, is the only suspect still facing numerous charges, including possession of stolen property, trafficking stolen property and theft of a motor vehicle.

McCracken's matters were in Lethbridge provincial court last week, where his lawyer pointed out the accused intends to apply to Lethbridge’s new drug treatment court. The case is scheduled to return to court today to speak to the charges and receive a progress report.

In September police broke up a rural break-in ring based in Taber, which operated throughout southern Alberta and trafficked in stolen guns and cars.

During a subsequent news conference in Medicine Hat, police displayed 63 long guns that had been recovered in raids at three locations. They seized a total of $200,000 worth of stolen goods, which also included seven vehicles and construction equipment. Five suspects were charged with a total of 76 charges related to break-ins from at least nine smaller communities. A warrant was issued for McCracken, and he was arrested later.

Police, who believe the guns were sold to other criminal groups, said the operation was well-established and the stolen goods came from break-ins in Taber, Vauxhall, Bow Island, Seven Persons, Stirling, Vulcan, Coaldale and Barnwell. Some property was even traced to Sundre, north of Calgary.

Jason Jeffery Pizzati, 47,

Greg Kosowan, 72, Cornelius Wolf, 38, and Heinrich Wolf, 35, were also charged in relation the bust. The charges against them, however, have since been stayed. A stay of proceeding means no further action will be taken, but the Crown can bring the charges back to court within a year.

Follow @DShurtzHerald on Twitter