On Friday, officers from six policing partners coordinated their resources to track a stolen car in western Saskatchewan through an area of approximately 150 kilometres. The track culminated, less than 2 hours later, with the arrest of five individuals associated with the Westside Outlaws street gang. Three of them were wanted on warrants at the time of their arrest.

That day Maidstone RCMP received a report of a grey Honda car being stolen at a business in Lashburn, by three men dressed in red. They were seen fleeing east on Highway 16 followed by a small red Ford car.

The RCMP Roving Traffic Unit (RTU), located the eastbound stolen grey car without the second red car. When RCMP tried to stop the stolen grey car, officers report it instead continued east, turned around and went west on Highway 16 at a high rate of speed.

The Saskatchewan Protection and Response Team (PRT) was activated and the Saskatchewan Highway Patrol on Highway 16 as well as Lloydminster RCMP were asked to help track the movements of the speeding stolen grey car.

While the stolen grey car was being tracked, the Lashburn Fire Department advised Maidstone RCMP they received a report of a small red car on fire, east of Lashburn.

Maidstone RCMP, Lloydminster RCMP, the RTU, and the PRT, in a total of 8 cars, decided to spread out and actively patrol an extended rural area around Lashburn.

Maidstone RCMP located the grey car near Paradise Hill, approximately 60 kilometres north of Lashburn, travelling west on Highway 3. They monitored the movements of the stolen grey car and observed the stolen grey car turn north on Road 797 in the direction of Frenchman Butte. Maidstone RCMP radioed the new direction of the stolen grey car to Turtleford RCMP who were able to position themselves on Township Road 540 to deploy a tire deflation device before the stolen grey car arrived. The tire deflation device was deployed at the right time and, at approximately 4:40 p.m., the stolen grey car stopped, shortly after having turned onto Highway 21. Maidstone RCMP and Turtleford RCMP officers arrested all five occupants of the stolen grey car, three men and two women, without incident. A search of the stolen grey car resulted in the seizure of one sawed-off modified rifle, ammunition, a machete, a BB pistol and several knives.

22 year-old Tonia Cantel, from North Battleford, 21 year-old Juanita Wahpistikwan, from Big Island Lake Cree Nation, 21 year-old Kyle Lajimodiere, from Cold Lake, Alberta, and two male youths, both from Big Island Lake Cree Nation, SK, have all been charged with the following 14 criminal offenses:

• Stealing a motor vehicle, section 333.1(1) of the Criminal Code;
• Storing a prohibited firearm, section 86(2) of the Criminal Code;
• Possessing a weapon for dangerous purpose (4 counts), section 88 of the Criminal Code;
• Carrying a concealed weapon (2 counts), section 90(1) of the Criminal Code;
• Possessing a firearm without a licence, section 91(1) of the Criminal Code;
• Being in a motor vehicle with an unauthorized firearm, section 94 of the Criminal Code;
• Possessing a prohibited firearm with accessible ammunition without registration, section 95(b) of the Criminal Code;
• Possessing a firearm with an altered serial number, section 108 of the Criminal Code;
• Endangering the safety of the public, section 180(b) of the Criminal Code;
• Flight from peace officer, section 320.17 of the Criminal Code.

The five accused will remain in custody until they next appear in Lloydminster Provincial Court on December 3rd.

Tonia Cantell, Juanita Wahapistikwan and Kyle Lajimodiere were wanted for arrest in Saskatchewan and Alberta on various other criminal charges. They will face these outstanding charges at the same time as the 14 new charges in Lloydminster Court.

Maidstone RCMP believes the small red car found on fire on Range Road 3250 is the same small red car that was seen following the stolen grey car when it was being stolen. The investigation into the red car is ongoing.

Anyone with information regarding the ownership, occupants or whereabouts of the small red car, on Friday November 20 at around 3 p.m. in and around Lashburn, SK, is asked to call Maidstone RCMP at 306-893-4800. Information can also be submitted anonymously to Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or submitting a tip online at www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

If you are associated with a gang and want to leave it, contact STR8 UP in northern Saskatchewan at 306-763-3001, STR8 UP in central Saskatchewan at 306-244-1771, or Regina Treaty Status Indian Services in southern Saskatchewan at 306-522-7494 to get assistance.