Police were in the 5th Avenue NE area of Portage while searching for suspects involved in a robbery nearby. Last Friday, March 3, two suspects were spotted at 2:30 p.m. and were told to stop. They refused and continued into a building.
Officers called for backup and waited when one of the suspects, a woman, left the building, was apprehended, and held for investigation. Dana Dueck, 26-years-old, of Portage la Prairie, was in possession of stolen items and arrested.
Dueck faces the following charges:
- two counts of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime.
31-year-old Kiefer Beaulieu then also left the building and was detained. Beaulieu was seen entering the building with a bag but did not have it when he exited. Police located the bag and found a firearm. Beaulieu has been repeatedly over the years in Portage la Prairie with weapons charges and break-and-enter (see related stories below).
Beaulieu faces the following charges:
- two counts of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking,
- Possession of a Weapon for Dangerous Purpose,
- Unsafe Storage of Firearm,
- Carry Concealed Weapon,
- Possession of Weapon when Knowing Possession is Unauthorized,
- Possession of Prohibited Weapon without a Licence,
- four counts of Weapons Possession Contrary to an Order.
Beaulieu was remanded into custody.
Dueck was released on a Release Order.
It was learned that Dueck and Beaulieu were not involved in the robbery that had occurred earlier in the area.
See related stories below for offences involving Beaulieu: