After responding to a break-and-enter call, Airdrie RCMP arrested a Calgarian who was in the midst of trying to remove a vehicle's catalytic converter in Balzac yesterday.
On Jan. 24 at 5:34 a.m., members of the rural Airdrie RCMP detachment responded to an RV sales business in Balzac for a report of a break-and-enter, according to a press release.
Upon their arrival, a white truck fled the scene, and officers were able to establish the truck had been stolen out of Calgary.
Members of Airdrie RCMP, the Alberta Emergency Response Team, and RCMP’s police dog services searched the compound and located a male hiding underneath an RV. According to the press release, the male had reciprocating saw blades in his pockets.
"A reciprocating saw was found underneath the same RV," the release stated. "An examination of the RV found the vehicle catalytic converter had been partially cut."
Ryan James Short, a 38-year-old resident of Calgary, has been charged with multiple offences, including mischief under $5,000, break-and-enter, possession of break-in instruments, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, and three counts of breaching a release order – according to RCMP, Short was on a release order and wanted on a warrant by the Calgary Police Service for an additional 46 charges.
Short was brought before a Justice of Peace and has been remanded into custody. He is scheduled to appear in Airdrie Provincial Court on Jan. 26.
"The Airdrie RCMP would like to thank the public for their assistance in these investigations," the release concluded. "Should the public have any information in relation to this occurrence please contact the Airdrie RCMP at 403-945-7267. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the "P3 Tips" app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store.
