Airdrie RCMP recently seized more than $2 million worth of marijuana at two separate grow operations.
On March 17, the Airdrie RCMP executed a search warrant in the Channelside neighbourhood and seized 1,090 marijuana plants, worth about $1,362,500.
A three-stage marijuana grow operation that took up the entire basement of the residence and an upper floor bedroom was located and removed. Another upper floor bedroom was used to dry and process the plants.
Acting on information from Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN), the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) Green Team South seized more than 500 marijuana plants from an Airdrie house on Kingsland Way, March 24.
Green Team South with the assistance of the RCMP Calgary Emergency Response Team and the Airdrie RCMP, seized 517 marijuana plants with an estimated street value of $646,250.
The furnace and hot water tank in the house had been altered to feed carbon dioxide to the plants. Alberta Health Services inspected the home and deemed it unfit for human habitation.
“ALERT wants to remind the public to be on the lookout for signs of a marijuana grow operation in your neighbourhood,” said Airdrie Cst. Rob Frizzell.
“Never investigate a marijuana grow operation on your own. Report any suspicious activity to police or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).”
ALERT is an umbrella organization established by the Government of Alberta to bring together the province’s law enforcement resources to tackle serious and organized crime. Close to 400 municipal police, RCMP and sheriffs work for ALERT.
To learn more about how to spot a grow operation, visit www.alert-ab.ca
On March 21 at 9:30 p.m., the Airdrie RCMP responded to a pedestrian collision on 8th Street.
Witnesses report that a four-door red Dodge truck with a black cover on the box was travelling southbound when the driver lost control of the vehicle and got stuck in the meridian ditch.
Several bystanders offered assistance to the driver and attempted to help him by pushing him out of the ditch.
While attempting to free the truck, one of the bystanders was struck by the vehicle.
The driver fled from the scene. The victim, a 59-year-old man, was transported to a hospital in Calgary with minor injuries and released later that night.
Police believe the Dodge truck will have damage to the front end and large dents on the passenger side.
Given the tread marks located in the meridian, it is likely that the truck has oversized tires.
At about 5:15 p.m. on Dec. 16, 2010, an unknown man was arrested by loss prevention officers for shoplifting electronic goods as he attempted to exit Walmart.
In an attempt to evade arrest, he shrugged off his winter parka so store security staff grabbed the suspect by his T-shirt. In his struggle to escape, the shirt ripped and the suspect fled the store on foot wearing only his pants and shoes.
The loss prevention staff sustained minor injuries in the altercation. The suspect was last seen running near the Totem on Main Street and Yankee Valley Boulevard. The suspect is about 18 to 24 years old, Caucasian 5’8” to 5’10” tall, with collar-length brown curly hair, a short goatee beard, wearing a short neck chain, olive colored knit cap with a brim, black T-shirt with ‘PURPLE HAZE’ on the front, a beige colored parka with faux fur collar and hood lining and jeans.
Sometime over the night of March 25, suspects engaged the nozzle of a CP Rail maintenance truck, causing about 200 to 300 litres of fuel to leak from the tank.
The vehicle was parked in a parking lot at the back of the Best Western Hotel.
The spilled fuel pooled in the lot and ran southbound onto Allen Street. Airdrie Emergency Services was able to contain the spill before a significant amount of fuel seeped into the sewage system.
CP Rail was contacted to assist with the clean up of the fuel and decontamination of the area.
Police believe the suspects knowingly opened the valve as they would have had to manually lock the nozzle to open.
If you have information on any unsolved crime, call the Airdrie RCMP at 403-945-7200 or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
