Residents in and around Calgary are being cautioned by the RCMP to take extra security measures at home after a series of residential break-ins between late evening and early morning hours.
Since late August, the Southern Alberta RCMP have logged multiple incidents of break-ins occurring between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., during which suspects have entered homes—often while occupants slept—by exploiting unlocked doors or windows or cutting screens.
Purse, small electronics, and vehicle keys are among the items reportedly stolen; on some occasions vehicles parked in driveways or garages have also vanished.
The RCMP says investigations are underway, but they are urging homeowners to remain vigilant and adopt preventative security measures.
Recommended actions include:
Lock all garage, gate, and fence doors.
Use pin locks on sliding doors and ground-level windows to prevent them being lifted out of their tracks.
Install pry guards on external doors.
Fit security cameras and motion-activated lighting.
Trim shrubs and hedges to below window height to remove hiding spots.
Keep purses, wallets, keys, and other valuables well away from entrances and out of sight.
Anyone with information about these break-ins is encouraged to contact their local RCMP detachment, or submit tips anonymously via Crime Stoppers.
In other recent policing developments, RCMP have laid charges in multiple related criminal matters across the region.
A Rocky View County man is wanted in relation to fleeing from police in a stolen vehicle. The incident dates to May 6, when officers attempted to stop a Toyota Camry at a Get N’ Go station in Three Hills just after 11 p.m. The car reportedly fled toward Big Valley. RCMP have issued a warrant for 61-year-old James Pyke, who faces charges including failing to comply with a release order, possession of stolen property, and fleeing police.
Meanwhile, Ryan Randy Watson remains a subject of RCMP’s Wanted Wednesday program. Watson is believed to be wanted across multiple jurisdictions including Rocky View County, Claresholm, Vulcan, and Hesketh. Police have released his photograph publicly, urging anyone who spots him not to approach but to call authorities immediately.
Perhaps most notable is the recovery of nearly $500,000 in stolen farm and construction equipment. In a coordinated operation on September 22, the RCMP Southern Crime Reduction Unit, in partnership with the Calgary Police Service, executed a search warrant at a rural property in Rocky View County. Recovered items include multiple Bobcat skid steers, trailers, a skid loader, a BMW M4, a Ditch Witch, and an excavator.
The equipment had been stolen from properties in Calgary, Airdrie, Okotoks, Chestermere, and Strathmore.
Fifty-five-year-old Shailend Sharma, a resident of Rocky View County, has been charged with multiple counts including possession of property obtained by crime and tampering with vehicle identification numbers. He is scheduled to appear in the Alberta Court of Justice in Calgary on October 21.
In a time of heightened property crime concerns, law enforcement is emphasizing community cooperation, proactive home security, and public tip lines as critical tools in combating these illicit incidents.
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