2 charged connected to Canmore bike theft and fraud investigation

An RCMP vehicle is pictured in an undated image. (File photo)

Two men from Calgary are facing charges after eagle-eyes RCMP officers in Canmore recognized them as subjects of a months-long investigation into bike thefts and frauds.

Police were alerted about 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday about a man trying to use a fraudulent credit card at a business in the mountain community west of Calgary.

When officers arrived, they recognized two men in the area. Both were arrested and a vehicle was seized.

A search warrant was obtained for the car and officers located:

Melody Velasquez, 37, is facing 21 charges, including:

Velasquez was released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court on June 29.

Elmer Collo, 43, is charged with eight offences, including:

Collo was released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court on June 28.

Canmore RCMP issued a warning to cyclistsearlier this week after several mid to high-end mountain bikes had been reported stolen.

RCMP also provided a number of tips for preventing bicycle thefts, including:

Officers will also be increasing patrols and visibility in areas where bike thefts have been reported.

Anyone with information is asked to call Canmore RCMP at 403-678-5519 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.