Members of the Lethbridge Police Service didn’t have to hunt far for the alleged culprits in connection with a three-month crime spree through southern Alberta as the suspects were already behind bars.
Between January and March of 2017, RCMP members and members of the LPS launched independent investigations into numerous property crimes that occurred in their jurisdictions within southern Alberta.
The offences, which included property break-ins, vehicle thefts, vehicle break-ins, arson, mischief and driving offences, took place in:
- Lethbridge
- Taber
- Fort Macleod
- Stavely
- Claresholm
- Nanton
- High River
DNA evidence collected at some of the crime scenes identified two suspects in connection with the crime spree.
As a result of the investigation, 33-year-old Kevin Allen Laffin of Lethbridge and 28-year-old Joshua Alexander Drake of Fort Macleod were charged. The accused are both currently incarcerated in connection with sentences related to other property crime.
Laffin faces 44 charges including
- Break-and-enter: shop/commercial (three counts)
- Theft under $5,000 (seven counts)
- Mischief under $5,000 (18 counts)
- Possession of stolen property under $5,000 (five counts)
- Theft of a vehicle (five counts)
- Arson to property
- Resisting a peace officer
Drake’s 63 charges include:
- Break-and-enter – shop/commercial (three counts)
- Theft under $5,000 (10 counts)
- Mischief under $5,000 (22 counts)
- Possession of stolen property over $5,000 (four counts)
- Possession of stolen property under $5,000 (five counts)
- Theft of a vehicle (seven counts)
- Arson to property
- Flight from a peace officer
. The accused are both currently incarcerated service sentences in connection with other property crime offences.
