A dispute over property led to a break-in at an Estevan home late last week, resulting in arrests and serious charges, including drug trafficking, police say.
On February 21, just after midnight, police responded to an incident where several individuals arrived at a residence, forcibly broke down a door, and confronted the occupants.
"The end result was that a door was broken in and a confrontation occurred between the residents of that location and those people outside," said Estevan Police Service Deputy Chief Warren Morrical. During the argument, threats were made to kill the individuals inside if the property was not handed over.
A male and female were arrested nearby and charged with break and enter into a dwelling and uttering threats. A second male was caught after a short foot pursuit and was additionally charged with drug trafficking after police found more than 60 grams of methamphetamine on him. Two of the suspects were released, while the male found with methamphetamine remained in custody.
Morrical explained that custody decisions consider "the totality" of the situation, including criminal history, the nature of the offense, and the level of violence involved. "Certainly drug trafficking is a serious offense that requires the accused to prove that if they are released that they can be done so safely," he said.
Regarding recent break-and-enter cases in Estevan, Morrical said he would not call it a trend. "If you look at 2024, we had a reported 34 occurrences at residences and six at businesses that were reported initially as break and enters," he said. He noted that those numbers include cases that were later determined to be unfounded or did not meet the legal definition of a break-in. "Typically for us here at Estevan, reported break and enters aren’t to residences, they’re to outbuildings and garages," he added.
To prevent break-ins, Morrical advised residents to take precautions. "The biggest thing I can suggest is lock your doors," he said, adding that security systems and careful associations can also help deter crime.
If an unwanted person refuses to leave a residence, police encourage residents to call them. "There is an offense under the Criminal Code referenced as being unlawfully in a dwelling," Morrical said, explaining that officers have the authority to remove the individual and determine whether further action is necessary.