Police arrest Ponoka man suspected in multiple rural break and enter crimes

From Blackfalds RCMP

Blackfalds and Bashaw RCMP arrest male after public tip received – 41 charges laid

“We appreciate successful outcomes when we utilize our specialized units such as Police Dog Services,” says Sergeant Bruce Holliday of the Bashaw RCMP Detachment. “This investigation drew on several components of our crime reduction strategy such as intelligence gathering, information sharing across jurisdictions and public assistance.”

On Aug. 29, 2018 at approximately 6:15 p.m., Blackfalds RCMP responded to a call from the public regarding a suspicious male near Joffre in Lacombe County. The male suspect who was later identified was on a rural property and appeared to be attempting to steal fuel.

He was located by police and then attempted to flee to a neighbouring vacant property. Police Dog Services (PDS) responded and containment of the area was set up. The suspect was tracked to an outbuilding where he had been hiding by PDS and arrested by Blackfalds and Bashaw RCMP members. He was transported to Blackfalds Detachment and treated by EMS for minor injuries sustained during his arrest.

The suspect was also found to be linked to several other investigations.

On Aug. 1, 2018 at approximately 12: 45 p.m., Bashaw RCMP were dispatched to a break and enter and vehicle theft from a rural property east of Bashaw. The suspect entered a residence and severely injured a dog and stole various items including a vehicle. He then returned to the same property after the vehicle broke down and proceeded to steal another vehicle. As a result of the severe injuries during the break and enter, the dog had to be euthanized.

Over the days and weeks that followed, the suspect was identified as being responsible for a number of rural break and enters and thefts in multiple jurisdictions including Bashaw, Wetaskiwin, Blackfalds and Rimbey. The assistance of the Forensic Identification Service (FIS) were utilized.

Michael Allan Richter (39) from Ponoka, who is known to police as a repeat offender, was remanded into custody. In addition to his 11 charges from the incident on Aug. 29, 2018, he was wanted on two outstanding warrants from Wetaskiwin and Bashaw. Police have laid a total of 41 charges on all incidents.

Some of the charges include:

Break and enter with intent – Business
Possession of break-in instruments
Resist/obstruct a peace officer
Possession of a Weapon while Prohibited
Possession of a prohibited weapon
Possession of Property Obtained by Crime less than or Equal to $5000.00 (x2)
Fail to comply with Probation Order (x4)

He was remanded into custody and will be appearing on Sept. 4, 2018 in Wetaskiwin and Red Deer Provincial Court.

Duane Rolheiser

After 15 years as a TV reporter with Global and CBC and as news director of RDTV in Red Deer, Duane set out on his own 2008 as a visual storyteller. During this period, he became fascinated with a burgeoning online world and how it could better serve local communities. This fascination led to Todayville, launched in 2016.

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By any measure, Alberta is an energy powerhouse—within Canada, but also on a global scale. In 2023, it produced 85 per cent of Canada’s oil and three-fifths of the country’s natural gas. Most of Canada’s oil reserves are in Alberta, along with a majority of natural gas reserves. Alberta is the beating heart of the Canadian energy economy. And energy, in turn, accounts for one-quarter of Canada’s international exports.

Consider some key facts about the province’s energy landscape, as noted in the Alberta Energy Regulator’s (AER) 2023 annual report. Oil and natural gas production continued to rise (on a volume basis) in 2023, on the heels of steady increases over the preceding half decade. However, the dollar value of Alberta’s oil and gas production fell in 2023, as the surging prices recorded in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine retreated. Capital spending in the province’s energy sector reached $30 billion in 2023, making it the leading driver of private-sector investment. And completion of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project has opened new offshore export avenues for Canada’s oil industry and should boost Alberta’s energy production and exports going forward.

In a world striving to address climate change, Alberta’s hydrocarbon-heavy energy sector faces challenges. At some point, the world may start to consume less oil and, later, less natural gas (in absolute terms). But such “peak” consumption hasn’t arrived yet, nor does it appear imminent. While the demand for certain refined petroleum products is trending down in some advanced economies, particularly in Europe, we should take a broader global perspective when assessing energy demand and supply trends.

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