*EDITOR’S NOTE: Alberta Justice said there had been a stay of proceedings in Jason Noel’s case, with no new court appearance scheduled as of July 4, 2018.
EDMONTON — Police have laid charges against a 37-year-old Calmar man in connection with a trailer containing special needs ski equipment that was stolen in November.
Police said the trailer and the equipment were stolen from the rear driveway of an Edmonton house in the area of 119 Avenue and 44 Street during the night of Nov. 25, 2014.
According to police, a suspect cut several locks that were securing the trailer and hitched it up to a truck. The suspect then drove away.
“Whoever stole this trailer may have been unaware what the contents were, or the value this equipment has to special needs athletes,” said EPS Acting Staff Sgt. Pat Bruni last November.
Inside the trailer was $12,000 worth of specialized cross-country ski equipment and $25,000 V-boards, which are used to make trails in the snow.
The equipment is used as part of Cross Country Alberta’s ski school program. Michael Neary, sport manager for Cross Country Alberta, says the equipment is usually used by Para-Nordic athletes with spinal injuries or other conditions that require the use of a wheelchair.
“It’s very sad and unfortunate that our Para-Nordic participants will be deprived of their equipment,” he said.
READ MORE: Police search for stolen ski equipment used by athletes with special needs
In December 2014, Leduc RCMP found three pieces of the specialized ski equipment in a dumpster in Calmar. The items were recovered and returned to the owner.
After investigating, Edmonton police and RCMP executed a search warrant in February 2015 in Devon. During that search, the stolen cargo trailer was found and later returned to the owner.
Jason Noel of Calmar has been charged with trafficking stolen property under $5,000, VIN tampering, possession of stolen property under $5,000 and breaching a condition of recognizance.
Province-wide warrants were issued May 5 for his arrest.
With files from Caley Ramsay, Global News
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