6 days Ago By Brandon Sun
Last weekend, at least three rural properties in the RM of North Norfolk, near MacGregor, were targeted by a group of thieves. Shortly after 3:30 a.m.
, suspects were caught on a security camera at one property, stealing an all-terrain vehicle and slashing the tires of a parked truck. Read this article for free: Already have an account? As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support.
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Last weekend, at least three rural properties in the RM of North Norfolk, near MacGregor, were targeted by a group of thieves. Shortly after 3:30 a.m.
, suspects were caught on a security camera at one property, stealing an all-terrain vehicle and slashing the tires of a parked truck. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? Opinion Last weekend, at least three rural properties in the RM of North Norfolk, near MacGregor, were targeted by a group of thieves. Shortly after 3:30 a.
m., suspects were caught on a security camera at one property, stealing an all-terrain vehicle and slashing the tires of a parked truck. Camera footage posted on social media showed six individuals jump out of a truck at one of the properties.
At least one of them carried a weapon, which appeared to be a scoped rifle. The footage also shows one of the suspects leaning over the hood of a truck, pointing a firearm at the home while others run toward nearby buildings. Area farmer Clint Sigurdson was woken up by a phone call from his 80-year-old mother, who told him there were people on the property “stealing his stuff.
” He and his son drove to the property and encountered several people on the side of the road, loading an ATV into a truck. The suspects fled with Sigurdson and his son following behind. Triple Star Manufacturing was one of several rural properties in the MacGregor area to be burglarized on Sunday morning.
The crime spree has once again raised the issue of rural crime, and it seems the NDP government has responded by announcing it will spend $3 million on nine new members for the RCMP Emergency Response Team. During the half-hour pursuit, Sigurdson and his son repeatedly called the RCMP, but the police were unable to arrive at the scene on time. They followed the suspects to a location near Sandy Bay First Nation before stopping.
A 17-year-old girl from Sandy Bay First Nation was arrested a few hours later, and the RCMP say the robberies have been linked to one group of suspects. These types of incidents have become far too frequent in rural Manitoba. In February, it was reported that four residents of Sandy Bay First Nation were arrested and charged with numerous criminal offences following the theft of a snowmobile and ATV.
Two years ago, an ATV was stolen from Sigurdson’s property and was located at the same First Nation. For Dean Toews, who owns one of the other properties that were robbed on Sunday, the incident marked the seventh time his property has been targeted. “Everybody has stories around here,” he says.
“It’s just way too common.” One of the greatest fears of living in rural Manitoba, and a key reason why people are leaving rural areas, is the issue of safety. With the RCMP experiencing chronic staffing challenges, there is a widespread concern regarding the organization’s ability to respond to crimes as they are happening.
In the case of incidents where firearms are present, as was the case last weekend, the inability of police officers to respond in a timely manner could have deadly consequences. On Monday, Agassiz MLA Jodi Byram, who represents the area where last weekend’s thefts occurred, expressed the fear and frustration many of her constituents and many other rural Manitobans are feeling. During a tense question period exchange with Justice Minister Matt Wiebe, she said that “Armed criminals are running wild, yet the NDP’s response has been weak at best.
We’ve heard about cameras. We’ve heard about more mobile police in Winnipeg. But what about constituents in Agassiz, the people in rural Manitoba who are living in fear every single night?” She asked Wiebe “Minister, will you stop ignoring rural communities and start protecting them? In response, Wiebe referred to an increase in the justice budget, mentioned the province’s rebate for security cameras, and said that “We’re taking a different approach, working with community, working with individuals and working with law enforcement to make our province safer.
” Byram’s questions must have struck a nerve, as Wiebe announced yesterday that the Manitoba government is investing $3.3 million to expand the province’s RCMP Emergency Response Team in rural and northern Manitoba. Their skills and training include rural tracking operations, addressing incidents involving armed persons, high-risk searches and arrests, and carrying out serious crime arrest warrants, along with other specialized training.
The team will now include nine new RCMP members, for a full-time total of 18. Wiebe says it will be available for deployment across the province day and night, in all types of locations and weather. The Association of Manitoba Municipalities says that the additional officers represent “a critical step toward safer communities and ensuring all Manitobans feel secure — no matter where they live,” but it is fair to ask if such a team would have made a difference with respect this past weekend’s robberies, or in most incidents of rural crime.
The nine new members of the emergency response team is a good step, but what is really needed is more police officers in rural detachments across the province. Until that happens, rural Manitobans will continue to leave their communities for urban centres where they will feel safer. Advertisement Advertisement.
