On February 14, 2011, at around 11:50pm, Steinbach RCMP received a report of a suspicious vehicle in a parking lot near the Le Depanneur Store (Shell Station) in La Broquerie.
According to the caller, two males were seen exiting a vehicle, walking towards the store wearing balaclava’s and carrying a baseball bat. A short time later, Steinbach RCMP received a report of intrusion alarm at the Le Depanneur Store. RCMP attended and learned that the store had been broken into and Lottery tickets had been stolen. Based on interviews of witnesses, RCMP were able to gather descriptions of the suspects and the vehicle they were driving.
Approximately an hour later, a vehicle matching the description was located traveling westbound on Highway 1 near the Highway 12 turnoff. The vehicle was stopped and four youths were arrested. In the vehicle police located balaclava’s, bear spray and the stolen Lottery tickets.
The investigation led to two 16-year-old males youths being charged with break and enter, wearing a disguise in the commission of an offence and possession of a weapons dangerous to the public peace. One of the youths was released by a justice for a court date in March.
The second youth, based on evidence obtained during this investigation, was also charged with an armed robbery that occurred at the same store on January 18, 2011. In this case a lone male entered the store wearing a balaclava and carrying pepper spray. The male confronted the store clerk and made off with an undisclosed amount of money. This youth was remanded into custody and will appear in court February 16, 2011.
RCMP in Steinbach would like to thank the public who assisted in this investigation.
