Airdrie RCMP were in the right place at the right time to catch a thief red-handed on Tuesday (September 19).

That evening, RCMP officers were conducting routine patrols in residential neighbourhoods when they noticed something suspicious.

"When they were driving through a Luxstone neighbourhood, they saw something that just kind of caught their eye," said Cpl. Curtis Peters, "They thought they saw somebody lay down on the front seat of a vehicle that was parked on the side of the road. When they looked closer, they saw that the door lock had been punched out of the vehicle."

The officers got out of their car and inspected closer, at which point they found a young man hiding in the front of an older model Dodge truck attached to a trailer containing a Bobcat. The officers noticed the ignition on the truck had been damaged and the headlights had been turned on, leading them to believe the young man was trying to steal the vehicle.

The officers arrested the would-be thief without incident.

"The individual that was arrested is a 17 year old male youth. He was originally from Olds and he faces charges of possession of stolen property over $5,000, mischief and possession of break in tools."

The young man is scheduled to appear in Provincial Court in Airdrie on October 26.

Peters said routine patrols at night are an effective tool to combat crime.

"You never know what you're going to find when you're out and about in the middle of the night. Sometimes it'll be a nonevent, and sometimes something happens right before your eyes, but if we're not out there pounding the streets and doing our best to deter it or to catch it, you never know what you're going to miss."

 

Questions, comments or story ideas? Email us at news@discoverairdrie.com