Where’s the beef? And what happened to all those hot tubs?
Those are the questions Alberta RCMP are grappling with after a semi-truck trailer full of meat was stolen from one of Canada’s largest meatpacking plants — three days before several spas were taken from a manufacturer near Edmonton.
Meat stolen from Brooks plant
The meat theft from the JBS meatpacking plant near Brooks, Alta., happened two weeks ago, on Aug. 30.
RCMP said a transport truck that was subcontracted to haul a full load of beef from the facility west of Calgary to the United States failed to make its delivery.
Police said the full load of beef was valued at over $230,000 and as of publishing remains unaccounted for.
RCMP have determined the transport truck was operating under fraudulent documents and under the fraudulent name of Transport Pascal Charland out of Chateauguay, Que.
The transport truck used was described as a burgundy coloured semi-truck with a large bunk. It was pulling a white refrigerated enclosed trailer.
The suspect was described by police as a tall man with a heavy build, with slightly balding, short brown hair. He was wearing blue jeans, a black T-shirt, a yellow fluorescent safety vest, and a surgical mask.
Stolen hot tub investigation
The trucking company name is the same fake identification RCMP allege was used a few days later to steal several hot tubs from a manufacturing plant near Edmonton.
On the morning of Sept. 2, seven hot tubs were stolen from an Arctic Spas manufacturing site in Thorsby, located about 55 kilometres southwest of Edmonton.
Mounties said the truck that hauled away the spas was also identified as Transport Pascal Charland from Chateauguay.
Cpl. Robert Harms said police are investigating whether the two crimes are related.
“There’s definitely some similarities,” he said Monday.
Police said while the truck that took the meat was described as burgundy-coloured, the truck in the hot tub heist is a white Volvo with a sleeper that was pulling a newer-looking flat deck.
Police say that driver was described as a man between 30 and 40 years old, standing five feet six inches tall, with short brown hair and an unshaven face.
Both Brooks and Thorsby RCMP are hoping the public can help identify the semis and its driver(s). Anyone with information is asked to contact the Brooks RCMP at 403-794-4400, Thorsby RCMP at 780-789-3951, or submit an anonymous tip via Crime Stoppers at 1.800.222.8477(TIPS) or online.
— With files from The Canadian Press
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