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Luck runs out for accused lottery ticket thief involved in stinky standoff

Edmonton police locked down the Gold Bar wastewater treatment plant on the east side of the city early Friday morning to search for a fugitive inside. September 4, 2015. Michel Boyer, Global News

EDMONTON — An Edmonton man is facing 33 charges in connection to the theft of lottery tickets from convenience stores throughout the summer.

Jacob Shane Ritson-Bennett, 29, is accused of stealing thousands of scratch-and-win lottery tickets from seven Edmonton convenience stores between June 18 to September 3.

Ritson-Bennett was arrested and charged on September 4 after allegedly trying to escape from police in a stolen truck that ended up in the North Saskatchewan River.

He was arrested at the Gold Bar Wastewater Treatment Plant in east Edmonton, after police spent nine hours searching for him in the facility. He was found in a climbing around in ductwork of the EPCOR building.

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Ritson Bennett has been charged with seven counts of robbery, seven counts of wearing a disguise for the purpose of committing a criminal offence, four counts of possession of a weapon, possession of stolen property over $5,000, unlawful confinement, dangerous driving, assault with a weapon, criminal flight and ten counts of breach of probation.

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WATCH: What started as an incident at a Sherwood Park restaurant escalated, leading to an extensive manhunt lasting nine hours. Shallima Maharaj has the details.

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