A Lacombe man was arrested, and a warrant was issued for a Red Deer woman, as part of a RCMP investigation that led to the recovery of $500,000 in stolen vehicles.
RCMP said the investigation uncovered an active organized crime group securing large amounts of stolen vehicles and property which are used in serious organized crimes and/or sold with the intent of exportation outside of Canada.
In March, the Alberta RCMP Auto Theft Unit identified a trend of brand-new Ford Explorers being stolen from dealerships throughout Central Alberta.
Suspects were programming new keys for the vehicles which were then driven off dealership lots. The Ford Explorers and several other vehicles were being re-vinned, registered in Alberta with fraudulent VIN numbers, and used in serious and violent crimes.
RCMP also recovered documentation which identified many other potentially stolen and re-vinned vehicles that police believed were in circulation.
The VINs were flagged with the Canadian Police Information Centre, and RCMP and other police agencies in Canada seized vehicles that included:
• A 2023 GMC Acadia AT4 believed to be involved in the homicide of Mohamed Abdi in Edmonton. Edmonton Police Service is still investigating.
• A vehicle linked to a shooting on March 30 in the Mycroft Townhouses in North Edmonton. Edmonton Police Service is still investigating.
• Two of vehicles at the Port of Vancouver, both set to be exported from Canada.
• One vehicle in Ontario that contained $150,000, seized by York Regional Police.
Multiple search warrants were executed in the Edmonton area and RCMP recovered: seven stolen Ford Explorers; four stolen Ford F350’s; a stolen GMC Acadia; a stolen Toyota Rav4; four stolen trailers; two stolen snowmobiles; several devices capable of programming vehicle keys; a radio frequency detector for locating GPS trackers in vehicles; an estimated $30,000 in cocaine; $5,000 in fentanyl; as well as MDMA and methamphetamine.
The RCMP Auto Theft Unit has been working with vehicle manufactures to resolve the vulnerabilities in their vehicle systems in order to prevent future vehicle thefts.
A 48-year-old Lacombe man was arrested on April 16 and charged with two counts of theft of a motor vehicle; two counts of fraudulent concealment; break and enter; possession of break-in instruments; possession of master key; altering a VIN number; to counts of possession of property obtained by crime; and 10 counts of uttering a forged document.
He was remanded into custody. His next court appearance is set for July 2 at the Alberta Court of Justice in Edmonton.
A warrant has been issued for Nikki Yargeau, 25, of Red Deer who has been charged with break and enter; fraudulent concealment; four counts of possession of property obtained by crime; theft of motor vehicle; and three counts of uttering a forged document.
Anyone with information about Yargeau's whereabouts is asked to call their local police or Crime Stoppers.
A 47-year-old Lac Saint Anne County man has been charged with seven counts of possession of property obtained by crime. He was arrested on June 21 and released from custody with future court dates in Edmonton.
RCMP said statistically the majority of vehicle thefts in Alberta are crimes of opportunity, with vehicles stolen while left running or unlocked. They are used for short time frame and later recovered.
The Alberta RCMP Auto Theft Unit would like to remind Albertans that the most effective way to protect themselves is to lock their vehicle and never leave keys in the ignition.