Hundreds of stolen items, including truck and trailer, recovered in southern Alberta

RCMP seized this truck and trailer, both of which they say were stolen. (Supplied)

CALGARY -

A group of three people have been charged in connection with a fraud and stolen property investigation involving multiple locations in southern Alberta and southern Saskatchewan.

RCMP and the Lethbridge Police Service began an investigation after multiple frauds were reported between April 19 and June 8.

On June 23, authorities were conducting surveillance on a group of individuals believed to be involved in the operation. That afternoon, police stopped a vehicle driven by one of the suspects on Highway 3 near Grassy Lake.

While one of the occupants was being arrested for possession of stolen property, the other two suspects fled the scene in a truck hauling an enclosed trailer.

Officials say the trailer was abandoned in the middle of Highway 877 while the truck was later seen in the town of Foremost.

When police moved in to attempt to stop the truck, the suspects fled into a nearby coulee, where they later abandoned the vehicle.

"RCMP police dog services attended and located a male hiding in a field nearby. (RCMP Southern Alberta Crime Reduction Unit) members located the second male walking on foot in the town of Foremost. Both males were arrested without further incident," officials said.

Following the arrests, police seized a stolen 2020 Dodge 3500 Bighorn truck as well as a stolen licence plate.

Prescription drugs, suspected gamma-hydroxybutirate (GHB), methamphetamine and Psilocybin (mushrooms) were also located and seized.

Police also are looking through the contents of the enclosed trailer that they say contained hundreds of stolen items.

The suspects, Mark Paul Boivin, 38, of no fixed address, Nathan Thomas Roscovich, 33, of no fixed address, and Denise Rae Larouche, 41, of Beaver County, Alta., are jointly charged with:

• Possession of stolen property over $5,000;
• Possession of stolen property under $5,000;
• Nine counts of fraud over $5,000 and;
• Three counts of fraud under $5,000.

Police also say that Boivin and Larouche are both charged with two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking while Boivin and Roscovich are jointly charged with flight from a peace officer and mischief under $5,000.

All three suspects are facing the following individual charges:

Larouche

• Possession of a controlled substance.

Boivin

• Possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking;
• Uttering a forged document and;
• Operating a conveyance while prohibited.

Roscovich

• Possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking and;
• Possession of a weapon dangerous to the public.

Larouche has been released on $600 bail and is scheduled to appear in Taber provincial court on Aug. 10.

Boivin and Roscovich were remanded into custody and are scheduled to appear in Taber provincial court on Aug. 10.

"The RCMP Southern Alberta Crime Reduction Unit (SACRU) would like to thank both Taber and Bow Island RCMP detachments for their assistance and the citizens of Foremost for their incredible amount of assistance they provided to RCMP members to help locate both individuals."

Officials say once the investigation into the remainder of the stolen property is complete, it will likely result in additional charges being laid.