The Calgary Police Service is cautioning Calgarians against leaving running vehicles unattended following a number of recent thefts including the theft of an SUV with two children and a dog inside.
Late Sunday afternoon, a woman parked her idling GMC Terrain outside of a home in the 1000 block of McKinnon Drive Northeast in Mayland Heights. The woman entered the home leaving a 14-year-old, a three-year-old and a dog inside the running SUV. While the woman was away, a male suspect entered the SUV and drove off. After driving roughly a block, the man stopped and let the children and the dog out of the vehicle.
The stolen GMC Terrain continued to a nearby location where a second stolen vehicle, a Jeep Grand Cherokee occupied by two people, was waiting. The three vehicle theft suspects switched seats and fled the area with a concerned citizen giving chase in their vehicle.
The chase continued along 19 Street until the Jeep Grand Cherokee stopped in the middle of the road near the ramp to westbound Memorial Drive. The suspect in the GMC Terrain theft exited the Grand Cherokee with an axe and allegedly slashed one of the concerned citizen’s tires. No injuries have been reported.
Police later located the stolen vehicles abandoned in Radisson Heights and along International Avenue.
CPS members have suspects in custody in connection with the vehicle thefts.
According to police, there were 47 reports of stolen vehicle between Friday, January 13 and Sunday, January 15. Of the 47 thefts, 18 are considered crimes of opportunity where the keys were left inside the vehicle.
