A truck loaded with copper wire definitely attracted the attention of Estevan Police Service personnel in the early morning hours of Aug. 6.
The traffic stop, conducted in the industrial area of the city, led police to a 25-year-old man who was subsequently arrested and charged with theft of goods valued at over $5,000. The wire was returned to the business from which it had been taken, and the man who had been charged was later released pending a November court date.
Further details regarding the theft are under investigation by EPS.
A minor motor vehicle collision at the intersection of Second Ave. and Fourth St. also attracted police attention earlier that evening. No injuries were reported.
A couple of break and enter incidents in the city's north central area has led to investigations by EPS, who report that one residence and one vehicle were entered but no further details could be released. The break and entry incidents occurred between 1 and 8 a.m. on Aug. 8.
A motorist who drove away from a local gas station without paying is now being sought by police who are using surveillance recordings to assist them in their identification process.
An employee who had been dismissed by a local business uttered threats in the process of leaving and his actions were reported to EPS members on Aug. 8. Police said they have interviewed the victim of the threats and are now seeking an interview with the subject of the complaint.
Apparently four young people in Estevan really like beef jerky.
A local convenience store employee reported the theft of $14 worth of jerky from their shelves on Aug. 9. Video surveillance recordings showed the four youngsters removing the jerky from the display stand in the store. The investigation is continuing and police are not sure if the evidence has been consumed.
A routine traffic stop on Aug. 9 led to a series of activities by EPS members plus some additional paper work.
The event started with a routine traffic stop after police recorded a speeding vehicle on a city street. The follow-up identification work revealed the operator was driving an unregistered vehicle and they further noticed there were several warrants out for his arrest. While police were making the arrest, they also detected a marijuana odour and located a small quantity of that substance (under 30 grams) in the vehicle as well, so he was charged accordingly. Continuing investigation revealed the man was in breach of court-ordered conditions, so those charges were added to the list as well.
EPS members contacted the RCMP detachment that was holding the warrants that he had breached and they recommended that the man be released on further conditions after appearing before a justice of the peace.
The vehicle he was driving was impounded for seven days.
Later that same day, EPS members said they received a call regarding another secret shopper scam that has cost a local resident a certain sum of money.
EPS members stopped a driver of a vehicle due to his erratic actions at 11 a.m. Aug. 10. The driver stated he was on his way to purchase some pickles for his daughter but a strong smell of alcohol was being emitted from the vehicle so police ordered a roadside breathalyzer test for impairment. The subject recorded a failure so he was arrested and charged with driving while impaired and driving while his blood-alcohol content was over .08 per cent. Both breath samples registered over the .08 level. The vehicle he was driving was seized and impounded for 30 days.
Police received a call regarding a semi trailer that had struck a lamppost on Kensington Ave. The company that was hauling the pipe identified in the incident was contacted and they informed police that the driver had called them and advised them he had knocked the post down. The driver later appeared at the police station to fill out the appropriate paper work connected to the incident and no further action was required.
