Airdrie RCMP and the Airdrie Fire Department responded to a Canals resident’s call of smoke in a neighbouring house at 5:20 a.m., Aug. 15.
The fire was at 159 Canals Circle and no other houses were damaged during the early morning blaze.
A woman and her two children were not at the home during the time of the fire.
The value of the house is $500,000 and investigators believe the fire to be suspicious. An investigation is ongoing.
RCMP found Dirk J. Testerink of Airdrie, Aug. 15, in Calgary. He was found in good health and said he was unaware police were searching for him. Calgary police transported him back to his Airdrie residence.
Testerink, 45, was reported missing July 26 after he hadn’t been seen for the previous eight days.
Police are not disclosing where he was, but said there was no foul play or criminal activity involved.
“He was just an adult who chose not to inform his family he was leaving,” said Const. Robert Frizzell. “Police encourage people to tell their family if they’re going somewhere to avoid unnecessary investigations.”
Airdrie RCMP’s Crime Reduction Unit (CRU) broke up a hydroponic grow-op at 517 Main Street, Aug. 16.
Upon entering the house, police found a small marijuana grow-op in the basement and seized six plants with a street value of $7,500.
Two men were taken into custody and charged with production of a controlled substance. An investigation is ongoing to determine ownership and possible further charges.
Airdrie RCMP’s CRU arrested a 16-year-old female and Wade Gunoff, 29, on Aug. 9 at 9:25 p.m. for trafficking marijuana.
The pair, both of Airdrie, was taken into custody after police observed what they believed to be the female involved in the hand-to-hand sale of marijuana.
The girl was charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking and Gunoff, faces a charge of possession over 30 grams. Police confiscated a half-pound of marijuana valued at $1,950. The two were arrested without incident.
Gunoff was previously jailed for nearly beating 61-year-old Ken Valgardson to death in 2006 in Airdrie.
The female cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Airdrie and Beiseker RCMP responded to a call of a stolen welding truck at CrossIron Mills mall in Balzac, July 22.
The truck was parked on CrossIron Boulevard and was taken between 3:40 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. The truck, a white F-350, contained a toolbox and welder inside the box and had a lift kit with custom black rims.
The truck’s owner alerted police he had a .22-calibre rifle with a scoop inside a locked box in the cab.
The value of the truck and equipment stolen is estimated at $55,000.
Sometime during the evening of Aug. 2, more than 200 feet of live copper wire was stolen from a power site near CrossIron Mills mall in Balzac. The wire was worth about $10,000 and was stolen from the main power service to Bass Pro Shop.
Police are unsure how the suspects were able to remove the wire safely and said they would have to have a strong understanding of electrical work and specialized tools.
If you have information on any crime, contact your local RCMP at 403-945-7200 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-222-TIPS (8477).
