Calgary police on hunt for suspect in carjacking spree covering several city districts
Calgary police were on the run Wednesday, trying to catch a car thief who stole – and then ditched – vehicle after vehicle.
The suspect managed to stay just one step ahead of pursuing officers.
Police tell CTV News that officers responded to multiple carjackings on Wednesday morning coming from several districts.
As of 3:30 p.m., there had been 13 stolen vehicles and one attempted theft.
According to police, six of these incidents, plus a collision and subsequent failed carjacking, are being investigated as the result of just one person.
The seven incidents thought to be all from one perp are:
- A truck taken by carjacking at 9:30 a.m., at Glenmore Trail and Elbow S.W.;
- Another carjacking at 11:14 a.m., in the 4500 block of 13 Avenue S.W.;
- A truck with a plow attached stolen at 11:30 a.m., at Glenmore Trail and 37 Street S.W.;
- A collision in which a stolen truck was involved at 11:50 a.m., at 14 Street and Heritage Drive, in which the suspect fled and attempted another carjacking, failed but got away;
- A truck stolen while running at 12 p.m., at 269 Wildwood Dr. S.W.;
- A break-and-enter into a house in which car keys were stolen and used to take a vehicle at 12:15 p.m., in the 8200 block of Churchill Drive S.W.; and
- A vehicle stolen while running at 1:30 p.m., in the 500 block of Lysander Drive S.E.
Police say the cold weather provides a common and prime scenario for thieves.
"Even if you have a second set of keys, I know some people have done that before as well. They'll start the car with one set of keys, lock it with the fob, go in the house. There's instances where, you know, offenders will actually break a window to steal the car," said Acting Sgt. Chris Terry with the CPS crime prevention team.
"If they want the car, they're going to get it, so just don't leave the keys in the car running without you in it."
Police say several units throughout Calgary are on the lookout for the suspect.
No suspect description has been provided by police at this time.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Winning $70 million Lotto Max ticket sold in Toronto
A winning Lotto Max ticket was sold in Toronto from last nights draw.
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
What's a Barnacle? It's yellow, sticks and screams if you try to pry it off your car
Barnacles, bright yellow devices used to make sure parking scofflaws pay their tickets, could soon be making their way to cities across Canada.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Moscow says 50 Ukrainian drones shot down as attacks spark fires at Russian power stations
Ukraine launched a barrage of drones across Russia overnight, the Defence Ministry in Moscow said Saturday, in attacks that appeared to target the country's energy infrastructure.
A Nigerian chess champion plays the royal game for 60 hours - a new global chess record
A Nigerian chess champion and child education advocate played chess nonstop for 60 hours in New York City's Times Square to break the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon.
Fire in Labrador town under control, officials tells residents to stay away
RCMP say the fire that prompted a state of emergency in a Labrador town is now under control.