Four adults and one youth received 193 charges related to possession of stolen mail and property.
With help from the Ponoka general investigations section, police observed three individuals Wednesday, Nov. 4 loading property from an apartment into a stolen vehicle. When police approached the three individuals fled on foot and ran into a nearby apartment.
Police apprehended the three suspects and two more individuals in the apartment.
Search warrants were obtained on the apartment and two vehicles, which recovered approximately $25,000 in stolen property, including mail stolen from approximately 40 mail boxes in the central Alberta area, say police.
Investigators charged Shon Hunter, Steven Donaldson, Kristin Doucet each with 40 counts of possession of stolen mail. They also received charges of possession of stolen property. Also charged was Cody Pittman with one charge of theft under $5,000 and one youth was also charged with 40 counts of possession of stolen mail and some other possession charges.
Police say the operation and the charges stemming from it were the results of two months of investigative work.
Court appearance
Three adults charged in the investigations, Hunter, Donaldson and Doucet faced a provincial court judge Friday, Nov. 5 to set bail conditions.
Hunter and Donaldson were released on a 2,500 no cash deposit and are required to have no contact with the other individuals related to the case. Doucet was required to provide a $1,000 cash deposit and must follow a specific curfew. Each have specific conditions on their release.
Their next court date is set for Dec. 4.