Lethbridge police have charged a Calgary man after break-ins at two Lethbridge car dealerships last week.
In a news release on Monday, Lethbridge police said they were called to a break and enter at Dunlop Ford along the 1500 block of Mayor Magrath Drive on Nov. 30 at 9:53 p.m. after a man reportedly drove a truck through a garage door.
They said the man grabbed a set of keys inside the garage and was confronted by employees. Police said the man ran to the parking lot where he found the F350 truck the keys belonged to and drove away.
According to the Lethbridge Police Service (LPS) release, officers were still at Dunlop Ford when that same man drove the stolen F350 into the garage door at another dealership, Bridge City Chrysler at 3200 – 1 Avenue South.
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Police said the man stole the keys from a Fiat Spyder, and drove it down the street, where they believe he left it with the intent to come back and get it later.
They said the man was continuing to move vehicles off the Bridge City lot when a security guard intervened, and the suspect took off in a Dodge Ram 1500.
At around 12:30 a.m. an LPS officer spotted the suspect near the Bridge City lot in the stolen Dodge truck. They said the officer was able to eventually block his truck in, but the man rammed two police vehicles and was able to get away.
RCMP were called in after the man took off on Highway 3. Those officers were able to get a spike belt down outside city limits, and disabled the stolen truck.
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LPS said the man took off on foot and a Lethbridge police dog was called in, who found the man in a nearby shed.
Eric Christopher Smith, 22, of Calgary is facing 37 different charges:
- Two counts of “shopbreaking” and theft
- Four counts of theft of vehicle
- Three counts of flight from peace officer
- Dangerous driving
- Five counts of drive motor vehicle with no insurance
- Possess stolen property over $5,000
- Three counts of assault peace officer with a weapon
- Mischief over $5,000
- Five counts of disqualified driving
- Resisting a peace officer
- Three counts of mischief under $5,000
- Three counts of possess stolen property under $5,000
- Three counts of theft under $5,000
- Two counts of possession of a controlled substance
Smith is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.
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