UPDATE: On March 19, 2019, Calgary police confirmed that some of the vehicle’s contents have been located. Police said the firearm, soft-body armour and now the police badge that went missing along with an unmarked RCMP vehicle from a northwest Calgary parking lot were recovered.
An unmarked RCMP vehicle that had been stolen was found in a parking lot on Wednesday in northwest Calgary, police said.
At the time, officers could not confirm if the vehicle’s contents, including several pieces of an RCMP officer’s equipment, were recovered.
Investigators said the on-duty RCMP officer had put their keys in a bag inside a locker in a building.
The bag was stolen, which is how police believe the offender(s) were able to then steal the vehicle.
The officer’s loaded Smith and Wesson handgun, police badge, soft body armour, pepper spray, handcuffs and baton were in the vehicle when it was stolen.
According to the Alberta RCMP, there is strict protocol surrounding the storage of service weapons, which should be stored in “an RCMP-approved storage compartment.”
RCMP could not say Wednesday afternoon whether the firearm was adequately stored when the vehicle was stolen.
“At this time an internal investigation into the circumstances leading up to the incident are ongoing,” RCMP media relations manager Fraser Logan said.
“Should that internal investigation lead to evidence that the member acted in violation to RCMP policies, then an internal administration process will commence and that’s a code of conduct review.”
Logan said the officer in question is not being investigated criminally and is still on active duty. If investigators do find any violations, the officer could face criminal charges and possibly dismissal from the force.
Logan also said the RCMP notified the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, which will determine whether it will conduct its own investigation of the matter.
The vehicle is a silver 2018 Nissan Rogue with Alberta licence plate PBY-884, police said.
CPS investigators are reviewing CCTV footage from the area in hopes of identifying anyone involved in the theft.
Police are reminding people they can ask for identification from anyone who identifies themselves as a police officer and also call police at the non-emergency line to confirm an officer’s identity if they are unsure.
Anyone with information on the stolen vehicle or the equipment that was inside is asked to contact police at 403-266-1234 or to anonymously contact Crime Stoppers.
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