Last month, on July 26, Weyburn RCMP received several reports of thefts in the Midale area.
Upon investigation, police found that multiple vehicles and/or garages were entered and rummaged through at six different locations in Midale. Items, including electronics, tools, cigarettes, and change, were reported as stolen to the police.
Police received the help of the Saskatchewan RCMP’s Remotely Piloted Aircraft System, Police Dog Services, and public information. In particular, community members submitting images and videos captured on their home security systems, checking their properties and contacting Weyburn RCMP about missing items, and reporting suspicious activity to police helped greatly. Weyburn RCMP received a clear picture of the property crime in the area thanks to those efforts, helping advance their investigation.
As a result of that work, Weyburn RCMP located and arrested two adult males later that same day.
28-year-old Gerard Keenatch from Regina and 27-year-old Francis Desjarlais from Kawacatoose First Nation are each charged with one count of wearing a disguise with intent to commit an offence, six counts of break, enter, and commit, and six counts of trespass at night. Keenatch is also charged with one count of failure to comply with a release order condition.
“No one knows a community better than the people who live there,” said Sergeant Warner Ignatiuk, the officer in charge of Weyburn RCMP. “When something seems off, residents are the first to notice. Reporting those concerns – whether it’s a suspicious person, vehicle, or behaviour – can help drive an investigation. In situations like this, timely reporting can help lead to an arrest. We want to say thank you to the residents in Midale for working with us and doing their part to keep our communities safe.”
Keenatch and Desjarlais are scheduled to appear in Weyburn Provincial Court on August 12.