MEDICINE HAT, AB – Two men from Medicine Hat are facing a slough of charges after police recovered nearly a million dollars in stolen trailers.
Following a three month investigation, officers with the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) were able to find 13 holiday trailers and campers which had been taken across Alberta and Saskatchewan.
One of those was a Sunvalley camper stolen in Lethbridge and recovered in Kelowna, BC.
ALERT alleges two suspects stole the trailers, fraudulently changed the VIN numbers, and then re-sold them.
“This was a complex, coordinated scheme that undoubtedly ruined many family’s summer vacation plans. However, the impact of organized crime extends beyond the victim, and is a cost that society collectively bears,” said Supt. Dwayne Lakusta, ALERT CEO.
36 year old Mathew Hillier and 36 year old Nathan Herter are accused in the crime spree.
Police say these thefts date back to December of last year.
To date, ALERT has recovered:
- Elevation trailer stolen in Redcliff and recovered in Sylvan Lake;
- Keystone camper stolen in Dunmore and recovered in Lacombe County;
- Reflection camper stolen in Lacombe and recovered in Hope, BC;
- Cargo trailer stolen in Medicine Hat and recovered in Hope, BC;
- Cargo trailer stolen in Redcliff and recovered in Hope, BC;
- Keystone camper stolen in Medicine Hat and recovered in Tompkins, Sask.;
- Jayco camper stolen in Red Deer and recovered in Cypress County;
- Keystone trailer stolen in Medicine Hat and recovered in Langdon;
- Dutchman trailer stolen in Dunmore and recovered in Kelowna;
- Keystone camper stolen in Strathmore and recovered in County of Forty Mile;
- Sunvalley camper stolen in Lethbridge and recovered in Kelowna;
- Palamino trailer stolen in Regina, Sask. And recovered in Cypress County;
- Cargo trailer stolen in Lacombe and recovered in Brock, Sask.;
- Cargo trailer stolen in Drumheller and recovered in Brock, Sask;
- Keystone trailer stolen in Swift Current, Sask. and recovered in Calgary;
- Keystone camper stolen in Lacombe and recovered in Brock, Sask; and
- Mirage trailer stolen in Medicine Hat and recovered in Brock, Sask.