Residents are becoming even more concerned with crime happening in rural Alberta.
Sturgeon County resident, Bradley Gulka, shared footage with Global News of his home north of Edmonton being robbed in broad daylight on New Year’s Day.
The security footage shows a silver Subaru Forrester pulling up to Gulka’s rural property near Redwater and parking outside the house. The timestamp says 9:40 a.m.
Four men exit the vehicle – three go inside the house and one always remains by the car.
Two of the men go up to the front door and start prying it open. They go inside. Another man eventually follows, coming and going from the home.
About 12 minutes later, the fourth man goes up to the door and says they have go to. The video shows all the men leaving the house, some with large items in their hands.
It’s not even 10 o’clock in the morning and the Gulka residence has been robbed.
Police said Tuesday afternoon firearms, laptops, computer games and multiple cell phones were taken from the house.
Gurka was notified there was action on his security cameras and called in the robbery-in-progress to Redwater RCMP.
“You can’t do anything. My heart was racing,” said Gulka. “I’m talking with 911 at the same time, and I’m like, ‘There’s nothing I can do. I just hope the police can arrive in time and catch these people.’”
Police arrived shortly after the robbers left. Gulka met investigators at his home — he was only about an hour away.
Police pay “particular interest” to robberies in which guns are stolen, as they are often either used in other crimes or sold, said Cpl. Troy Savinkoff, a media relations officer with Alberta RCMP.
It also increases the risk of dealing with the individuals involved.
In most cases with these kind of random robberies — where the victims are not known to the criminals— the robbers are doing quick scans for anything they might be able to sell, Savinkoff said.
Rural crime is always at the “forefront” of annual assessments of areas officers need to target based on the previous year’s crime rates, Savinkoff explained.
“We find that a very large proportion of the crime is done by a very small set of people within the community,” he said, so police target their efforts on these known individuals.
There is also a lot of carry over between major city centres and nearby rural areas, he added.
Gulka said he would like to see the RCMP receive a bigger budget to help reduce crime in rural areas. While there is a police station several kilometres from his home, he understands Mounties are “swamped” with the crime that’s been unfolding.
“These people that have the tenacity to just come and break in to a house… you see this on TV, watch movies and shows. But when it happens to you… You’re helpless,” said Gulka.
“It’s tough.”
Redwater is about 50 kilometres northeast of Edmonton.
If you can identify any of suspects (photos below) or the suspect vehicle, or have any information regarding the robbery, you’re asked to contact Redwater RCMP at 780-942-3607, or your local police. Anonymous info can be sent to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or submitted online.