By rdnewsNOW staff

Crime Reduction Project nabs three on rural Ponoka property

May 11, 2018 | 12:57 PM

Three men have been arrested by Wetaskiwin RCMP following an investigation earlier this month.

Mounties say it was May 7 when the Central Alberta District Rural Crime Reduction Project located a stolen license plate on a trailer at a rural property in Ponoka. During the police investigation, two males were seen on the property and dropping off items prior to leaving.

During the subsequent search warrant, police located and seized a loaded firearm.

Two males were arrested the next day in Wetaskiwin. They are Shawn Phinney and Matthew Burroughs, both 26-years-old and from Wetaskiwin. They’re facing charges of unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm without a licence, possession of a prohibited weapon, and possession of a firearm with an altered serial number.

A third male from Ponoka is also accused. He is in police custody on other criminal matters.

'Inspiring Student Success'

Indigenous students enjoy learning about their culture at special conference

59m ago

DON'T WASTE IT

Lacombe encouraging residents to treat water as precious resource

10h ago

Ground School Training

New aviation career pathway elevates opportunities for students

19h ago

Phinney and the third male from Ponoka are each charged with an additional count of possession of a firearm contrary to a weapons prohibition.

Phinney and Burroughs are scheduled to appear in Ponoka court on June 1.

The Rural Crime Reduction Project has been working in the Wetaskiwin area since mid-April. These arrests are as a result of a crime reduction strategy involving targeting crime ‘hotspots’ and focusing resources on monitoring the activities in those hotspots.