Four people are in custody after Brandon Police and RCMP tracked down suspects who were allegedly traveling in a stolen vehicle and fled from police down the Trans-Canada Highway and into Kemnay.
According to a release from the Brandon Police Service, they got a call from RCMP at about 9:51 PM last night warning them that a vehicle recently stolen from Rivers was believed to be travelling toward Brandon. BPS officers found the vehicle at about 10:48 and tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the vehicle failed to stop, proceeding through a stop sign at 8th Street before turning northbound onto 18th Street.
“Additional BPS units coordinated to maintain controlled surveillance and the potential deployment of tire deflation devices,” said the BPS in their release. “The suspect vehicle turned westbound onto the Trans-Canada Highway. A second attempt to stop the vehicle was made by two BPS cruisers using emergency lights; however, the driver failed to stop and continued westbound. BPS units disengaged once RCMP units took control beyond city limits.”
By 11:02, RCMP had told BPS the suspects were now in the Kemnay area and they headed to all major junctions on the west side of Brandon. Shortly thereafter, it was confirmed the vehicle had been abandoned in/near Kemnay.
From there, additional BPS units were called to help with a search, including BPS Police Service Dog Unit (K9) and RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft System. AKA – drones). Virden RCMP were also enroute to assist with drone coverage. At 11:41, with assistance from police dogs and drones, BPS K9 handler and K9 Aries apprehended a 29-year-old suspect.
According to police, K9 Aries was far from done. At 12:02 AM, Aries and his handler found three additional suspects, who had attempted to hide between abandoned cars in a bush. They were arrested and taken into custody without incident. Two individuals, known to BPS officers, were identified immediately, while the third was identified later. The suspects were a 29-year-old female, an 18-year-old male, and a 36-year-old male.
“Through effective inter-agency coordination and the highly trained deployment of the K9, RPAS units, and trained officers – all four suspects were located and arrested without further incident. This outcome reflects the preparedness, discipline, and precision of officers and agencies working collaboratively under unique conditions,” said the BPS in their release.
RCMP have taken custody of the suspects and taken over the investigation.
