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Lacombe Police and RCMP arrest four people after joint investigation

The operation resulted in multiple loaded weapons seized and 116 charges
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Lacombe Police and RCMP have charged four people and seized three loaded guns and a small amount of methamphetamine following a traffic stop on Dec. 2. (Photo contributed)

Lacombe Police Crime Reduction Team (CRT) worked with the Central Alberta Crime Reduction Unit (CAD CRU) to investigate a “problematic” property in the city.

It was after community complaints that alleged concerns about property offences and suspicious activity that the Lacombe CRT contacted the RCMP for assistance.

Surveillance on the property was conducted and both law enforcement agencies shared information, which eventually lead to multiple arrests.

According to an RCMP press release, on Dec. 2 the CAD CRU conducted a traffic stop in the parking lot of an unspecified local business. This resulted in the arrest of three people who had a connection to the Lacombe property.

The truck stopped on Wednesday was confirmed by police to have been stolen out of Saskatoon, Sk on a previous occasion.

Inside the vehicle, RCMP found various weapons including:

• Two loaded SKS semi-automatic rifles with attached high capacity prohibited magazines

• One loaded sawed-off shotgun

• Ammunition

• Stolen license plates

• Break and enter tools

During the search officers also discovered a small amount of methamphetamine.

In addition to the three people arrested at the traffic stop, law enforcement also arrested another offender for possession of stolen property.

Two of the people arrested in the truck were breaching several conditions related to outstanding charges and subject to multiple firearm prohibitions.

In total, the four arrests resulted in 116 new criminal code charges laid against the accused.

Twenty-eight-year-old Justin Michael Gulbis and Taylor Michael Phelan, 34, were held in custody for a judicial interim release hearing.

The other two accused offenders were released from police custody on the condition that they appear at Red Deer Provincial Court on Feb. 10. Their names were not released.

Gulbis was scheduled to appear at Red Deer Provincial Court on Dec. 4 while Phelan is scheduled for Monday.

“It was a pleasure working with the Lacombe Police Service members and we look forward to more joint operations. These four offenders have been active in both Lacombe and RCMP jurisdictions, and it’s always our goal to remove firearms from the wrong hands,” said Cpl. Will Hiscock, Central Alberta District Crime Reduction Unit