ATHABASCA – A tip about a stolen trailer turned into an unprecedented bust for the Athabasca RCMP after officers located what they believe are dozens of stolen vehicles ranging from drivable lawnmowers to semi-trucks.
On Dec. 29, a member of the public told the RCMP that they had located a stolen trailer through a GPS tracker that was pinging at a rural Athabasca County property. After executing a search warrant, members located the trailer, alongside dozens of other items.
“The total value of the recovered property is estimated to be in the millions, underscoring the scale of the illegal operation and the critical need for vigilance,” said Staff Sgt. Mark Hall, the head of the Athabasca RCMP detachment.
“This investigation also highlights the important role of community members in identifying and reporting suspicious activity. Without the help of the tip from this individual, this operation might not have been possible.”
Standing in front of the property Jan. 2, Hall stressed that the investigation was still ongoing — specialized officers from the auto theft division will be sorting through the property to identify owners, and additional charges are expected to be laid once the work is done.
“Property crime is significant; it’s important to a lot of people,” said Hall.
“We spend a lot of time talking about violent crimes and how important those are, but in this area here property crime is a very big concern for people. Residents are frustrated by the repeat offenders,” said Hall.
Two semi-trucks, six semi-trailers, five holiday trailers and two bulldozers were among the items recovered, which also included off-road vehicles, commercial fuel tanks, and a car-hauler.
The RCMP are asking the public to give them time to identify and catalogue the property found during the investigation.
"We understand the interest in recovering stolen items, and we are committed to ensuring property is returned to its rightful owners," said Const. Cory Riggs, a media relations officer for the eastern division.
"RCMP investigators are currently in the process of identifying and cataloguing recovered property, including vehicles and equipment. Owners will be contacted directly by police."
Hall said the detachment was doing its best to sort through the goods as quickly as it can, but due to the complex nature of the investigation — at least one vehicle is believed to have had an altered vehicle identification number (VIN) — specialized officers from the auto theft unit are coming up from Edmonton to assist.
"The sheer scale of the investigation is large," said Hall during the Jan. 2 press conference. "We're working with our headquarters to determine how we move forward with this, we'll be keeping the community advised to what we'll be doing here. We're still going through each of these pieces of equipment to identify them."
Kyle Cushing, 36, of Fort McMurray, has been charged with possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, and altering, destroying, or removing a vehicle identification number (VIN).
He was taken before a Justice of the Peace and was released with conditions. He is scheduled to appear in the Athabasca Court of Justice Jan. 27.
The allegations have not been proven in court.
