Thanks to their Twitter account and some helpful citizens, Estevan Police Service members were able to wrap up a theft investigation within 24 hours of posting some photos and information on the account.
EPS members also made a significant advancement on a drug investigation due to some hard follow-up work on the case.
Those events were just two examples of some additional work that came through the local policing ranks during the past week, which proved to be a busy one for all shifts as the week rolled on.
The Twitter feed investigation began when EPS members posted photos of theft suspects on their account on Aug. 20. Through Twitter and media dispersal of the photos, several tips were received and a vehicle licence plate number was revealed.
Through viewing an on-site video of the theft, police were able to identify the man and woman, and traffic patrol officers were advised of the suspect vehicle and the names of the suspects along with a brief description. A short time later a member of the traffic detail spotted the vehicle, and the male and female in it were arrested and charged with theft of goods valued at under $5,000 and for breaching the conditions of a release.
The stolen property was recovered and returned to the business from which it was taken, while police issued a thank you to the public for assistance in the event, which led to a successful investigation.
On the drug investigation file, EPS members said they executed a search warrant on the evening of Aug. 24 at a residence in the neighbourhood of 13th Avenue and Ninth Street.
Police seized an amount of suspected liquid psilocybin, better known as liquid magic mushrooms.
A 22-year-old Neepawa, Man. man was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance and for being in breach of two court-ordered conditions in relation to other incidents in Manitoba earlier this year.
As a result of this situation, EPS members have now extended their investigation into this particular subject, looking at the possibility of having a controlled substance imported into Canada.
In the meantime, the man was taken into custody and charged and now has an Oct. 6 court date.
Earlier in the week, EPS members conducted a curfew check on an 18-year-old man who had been freed from custody, with one of the court orders being that he refrain from consuming alcohol as well as having a nightly curfew. When the man failed to present himself at the door, EPS members set up a search and the subject was found in the back of his residence. Police noted that he was in contravention of the court order as he had been consuming alcohol, so he was arrested and charged accordingly.
A second 18-year-old man was charged with break and enter at a local service station on the city's west side. The arrest came following a month-long investigation into the incident. The man now has a Sept. 29 court date.
Police also received separate complaints on the evening of Aug. 17 regarding a man who was exposing himself and making sexual gestures to two people. A search of the area in question did not turn up anyone, but the matter remains under investigation and police remind the public to exercise caution when out at night, by travelling in twos or more and staying within well-lit areas.
That incident was followed up by another indecent act committed by a man who exposed himself at a local business on the north side of the city on Aug. 20. Police cannot confirm if the two incidents relate to the same possible subject.
A local convenience store complained to police that a woman had entered the establishment and left with a small quantity of food, having failed to pay for it. This investigation was also opened on Aug. 18.
On Aug. 19, EPS members opened an investigation into a 22-year-old man who had been sending harassing messages to several people within the city. Charges are pending.
An argument between a couple ended up in an assault incident in an apartment block within the city on Aug. 21. Some household items were broken and an investigation revealed that some physical pushing had occurred.
A man phoned police later that same night saying that two uninvited people were in his backyard on the east side of the city. The man said his dog had started barking so the people left the yard. A search of the local streets did not reveal any suspects.
A man was arrested for outstanding warrants during a routine traffic stop on the night of Aug. 21 and a young person was arrested for being intoxicated in public. While the young man was being searched an altercation broke out and the people who were accompanying the young man advised police they suspected that someone had slipped some kind of drug into his beverage without him knowing it. The young man was taken into custody and his parents were contacted and they spoke with their son and it was agreed that he remain in cells until the effects of the drug(s) had been eliminated and he could return to a more calm demeanour. In the meantime urine samples were collected and sent to a laboratory for analysis pending any further policing action.
A theft from a local clothing store is being investigated by EPS members as of Aug. 22. The person took a pair of boots from the shelf, took them to the counter and provided a bill of sale and had the exchange money put onto his card and then left the store.
A traffic stop on Aug. 22 led to a charge of a person being in possession of less than 30 grams of a controlled substance. A strong odour of marijuana coming from a vehicle prompted the action. The driver also produced an expired licence that indicated he was allowed to carry up to 90 grams of marijuana, but since the licence had expired, the man was charged with the offence.
Another roadside stop was made when police noticed a vehicle stopped at a flashing yellow light. The ensuing breathalyzer test indicated the subject had failed so another breath sample was required and following that action, the driver was charged with impaired driving and driving while his blood-alcohol content was over .08 per cent.
Another man was found asleep behind the wheel of his vehicle. The engine was running, the seatbelt was fastened and his window was down. When confronted by police, the subject said he was simply warming up but a breathalyzer test showed that there was a certain level of impairment so the man was issued a 24-hour driving suspension.
An assault that occurred at a residence on Souris Avenue on Aug. 22 resulted in the two parties being sent on their way for the rest of the night.
When police stopped a vehicle that had an expired licence plate, they discovered that the man driving the vehicle had been assaulted but he declined to give police a statement regarding his condition.
Some fights outside a local lounge were reported to police on Aug. 22. Most of the combatants left the east side scene prior to police arrival but one person was arrested and later released into the care of his wife.
A northside restaurant and lounge was the subject of some damage on Aug. 22. A window was smashed by the accused who was located by police and charged. The man also agreed to cover the cost of the window repair.
Police attended to St. Joseph's Hospital on the night of Aug. 22 to speak with a man who was being treated for injuries following an assault at a local convenience store just off King Street. A store surveillance video was studied by police who were able to identify one of a possible nine suspects who are now wanted. The subjects who were involved in the fracas are being advised to come forward prior to police having to contact them through other means.
Police are looking into a theft that took place from a yard of a residence on the northeast side of the city on Aug. 23. A group of people had entered the property near Albert St. and Bannatyne Ave. and took some items before departing the scene.
While police were searching the area where the theft had occurred, they observed some tree branches touching a power line that had started to arc so Fire Rescue Services and SaskPower personnel were contacted and attended the scene to repair the problem.
An intoxicated man who was causing a disturbance at a residence in the central part of the city was arrested and lodged in cells until sober.
Another call to police led them to a north end lounge parking lot where a group of at least six people were involved in a fight. The fighting had ceased by the time police arrived, but they noted emotions were still high, so the parties involved were sent on separate paths and no further policing action was required.
A driver of a vehicle that was stopped for a routine check on the night of Aug. 23, refused to provide a breath sample, so he was charged accordingly and taken into custody until he regained sobriety.
An Edmonton man was arrested for being intoxicated in public on the night of Aug. 23 as was a 22-year-old local man who simply walked into the police station in an inebriated state.
