Grow-op bust results in jail

A Calgary man who was involved in Red Deer’s biggest marijuana drug bust received a jail term of just over two years.

Sap Chi, 42, of Calgary was sentenced on Nov. 13 in Red Deer provincial court on charges of possession of marijuana and theft of electricity.

He received a 28-month jail term.

Charges of production of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking were withdrawn.

Chi was arrested on Aug. 26 when RCMP raided a home on 93 Duncan Cres.

Police found just over 800 marijuana plants in various stages of growth, worth an estimated $1.1 million if three crops were taken off during the year.

Clones accounted for 205 plants and were growing in the bedroom, where the accused was arrested.

Among other items seized were 130 grams of bagged marijuana, high-intensity lights and fertilizer.

Gun theft suspect in court

A northwestern Alberta man accused of stealing six guns from the Bashaw Sports Centre earlier this month will return to a Grande Prairie provincial courtroom on Dec. 3.

Five days after the reported theft occurred on Nov. 5, RCMP executed a search warrant at a rural residence near Debolt, 45 km east of Grande Prairie.

Police say they found a loaded .22-calibre handgun, a .44-calibre revolver, four long-barrel firearms, 42 grams of methamphetamine and $4,000 in cash.

James Forest Whyte, 41, of Debolt, was charged with 11 firearm offences, drug possession for the purpose of trafficking and possession of stolen property.

He reserved his plea on Wednesday.

Thieves strike corner store

The Grinch struck early when two thieves stole a Red Deer Christmas Bureau donation container early Wednesday.

The crooks also got away with cigarettes and an undisclosed amount of cash when they robbed the Short Stop Fas Gas convenience store, at 5926 54th Ave., at about 12:30 a.m.

According to a police news release, the two unknown males “pointed an object believed to be a firearm at the clerk and demanded money.”

They were last seen in the alley behind the business and possibly left southbound in a vehicle.

The first suspect is described as approximately five feet seven inches (1.70 metres) tall. He was wearing gloves and a blue and white lumberjack-style jacket with hood. As well, he had covered his face with a red scarf.

The second suspect wore a grey and white lumberjack style jacket with a hood, a scarf and gloves.

The suspects carried a large duffel bag.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Anti-theft signs for your vehicle

Bright yellow placards are now available to remind drivers to theft-proof their vehicles and to ward off potential thefts.

Following a pilot project in Edmonton last year, the Alberta Motor Association and the RCMP have launched a joint project to distribute “All Valuables Removed” placards that can be placed in the driver’s-side window or on the dash.

Edmonton saw vehicles break-ins drop from 10,220 in the January to September period of 2007 to 8,084 during the same period in 2008, said Wendy Mah, crime prevention co-ordinator for AMA.

Const. Sabrina Grunow, media liaison for the Red Deer City RCMP, said theft from vehicles is a huge problem in Red Deer, particular during the Christmas rush when the weather is turning colder and shoppers become less vigilant.

Red Deer RCMP were called to 1,567 vehicle break-ins from Jan. 1 to Nov. 18, said Grunow.

Based on the success of the Edmonton pilot project, AMA and the RCMP have launched an Alberta-wide program to distribute the placards from all AMA offices and RCMP detachments.

Traffic violator owes thousands

Red Deer police are on the lookout for a man who owes a larger-than-usual debt to society.

Thirty-eight-year-old Kevin Linthorne of Red Deer owes for numerous outstanding provincial violation convictions, to the tune of $12,420. He has been convicted on three charges and convictions of driving an uninsured motor vehicle, failure to obtain registration of an uninsured motor vehicle, driving while disqualified and transporting liquor in a vehicle.

Linthorne is described as a white male, 1.83 metres (six feet) tall and 73 kg (161 pounds). He has blue eyes, a scar on his right index finger, a tattoo of a bat on his right calf, and tattoos of an angel and sun on his left calf. He was last seen in Red Deer.

Police are asking anyone with information regarding Linthorne’s whereabouts to phone Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, text message TIP360 to 274637 or visit www.tipsubmit.com