Calgary police and RCMP have laid over 150 charges after an armed carjacking in Airdrie led them to discover a group that had allegedly stolen over a dozen vehicles.
Police said the carjacking, which resulted in the theft of a Mercedes, happened on Sunday, Oct. 20.
The next day, Calgary police were called to a crash in Harvest Hills where the driver of a stolen Audi S4 was allegedly picked up by a man driving the same stolen Mercedes.
During their investigation into the crash and the armed carjacking, officers converged on a home in the hamlet of De Winton, Alta. at midnight on Oct. 25, arresting five people.
Police said a sawed-off 12-gauge shotgun was also seized.
A sixth suspect was taken into custody later on Oct. 25, police said.
In a Friday news release from the Calgary Police Service (CPS), officers alleged that the six people arrested are linked to the theft of 18 vehicles from the Calgary area.
“A majority of them were stolen when the vehicle was left running and unattended or through garage break and enters,” CPS stated. “So far, investigators have recovered 14 of the stolen vehicles, worth $250,000.”
Justin Michael Ward, 28, Kage Ragaisis, 20, Kelton Lee Travis, 19, Evelyn Sadie Clare, 18, Casey Alan Cousins, 26, and Jesse Strongeagle, 24, are together facing 155 charges.