Man pleads not guilty to charges over stolen vehicles, guns

Not-guilty pleas were entered Thursday by a man arrested after a police investigation discovered multiple stolen vehicles and stolen firearms.

Counsel for Gerald Thurber, 49, entered the pleas at the Medicine Hat Courthouse and set the trial for April 24.

The court heard there are a number of admissions already, while the Crown said they are working on a possible agreed statement of facts.

Police say they received on Feb. 14 information regarding a possible stolen vehicle located in the 1100 Block of First Street SW. They located a truck which had been reported stolen out of Brooks, with a licence plate on it from a stolen vehicle out of Sylvan Lake.

Further investigation resulted in the recovery of a truck stolen from Redcliff, which had nine stolen rifles inside it, two of which were loaded. Ammunition and stolen tools were also located inside this vehicle.

The value of both vehicles is estimated at $105,000 and the stolen rifles approximately $12,000.

Thurber, who is of no fixed address, was charged with several offences including three counts of possession of stolen property over $5,000, two counts of possession of stolen property under $5000, careless storage of a firearm, possession of firearm while not the holder of a valid licence, possession of break-in instruments and possession of a controlled substance.