Mike on Crime

By James Turner
Winnipeg Free Press

Police have three of Winnipeg’s worst car thieves in custody following an incident where police shot at a stolen vehicle that was being driven at them dangerously.

The youths, aged 17, 15 and 14 are all “level 4” offenders under the Winnipeg Auto Theft Suppression Strategy, police said this afternoon.

The designation means they have multiple convictions for past auto theft offenses and are considered by police to be a grave risk to public safety.

According to Const. Blair Good, the three had been on a spree of break and enters across the south end of Winnipeg during the day yesterday where as many as six homes in Charleswood and St. Vital were robbed of electronics, jewellery and cash were stolen.

Shortly after 12 a.m. this morning, Good said officers with the stolen auto unit were in the area of Fife Street when they saw two suspected stolen autos enter a parking lot.

As officers moved in to contain the vehicles, one of them – a Nissan Maxima – drove out over a boulevard and struck a barricade.

The 15-year-old driver of that vehicle fled on foot after the crash and was captured by police dogs after a short chase.

However, things got ugly as an officer attempted to arrest a youth in the other vehicle, which police said was a Pontiac G6.

Good said the vehicle tried to drive away and an officer was slightly injured after being thrown to the ground.

The 17-year-old driver of the vehicle then drove toward another officer as he was exiting a cruiser car.

The youth then struck the vehicle’s door which hit the officers leg, injuring him.

It was when the youth drove toward another officer that he opened fire in an effort to stop the threat.

It’s not known if the police bullet struck the vehicle or anyone in it. The bullet has not been recovered, Good said.

The teen, along with a 14-year-old riding shotgun in the pilfered Pontiac were arrested a short time later on Luxton Avenue.

The 15 and 14-year-old youths have been charged with possession of property obtained by crime and Break and Enter a Dwelling House x6.

The 17-year-old has been charged with the same offenses, including flight from police, assault with a weapon x3, assault a police officer x3 and other charges.