Five suspects arrested after cross-city police pursuit involving multiple stolen vehicles

Police vehicles at Calgary Police Service headquarters in Calgary on Thursday, April 9, 2020. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh)

Calgary police say five people are facing charges after using multiple stolen vehicles to lead officers on a cross-city quest, resulting in the seizure of two guns.

The police pursuit began just after midnight on Tuesday, Jan. 30, after police spotted a white 2014 Ford Explorer SUV with a stolen licence plate in the area of Elbow Drive S.W. and 75 Avenue S.W.

Police tried to stop the vehicle but say the driver "fled at a high rate of speed."

Officers used a HAWCS helicopter to track the vehicle, which stopped at an underground parkade in the 2000 block of Fourth Street S.W.

Police say the suspects exited the vehicle, getting into a rented white 2023 Audi A3 and leaving the parkade.

Police tried to stop the vehicle at 1:45 a.m. but say the suspects sped off once again.

While tracking the Audi with HAWCS, officers saw the suspects toss a bag in an alley in the 600 block of McIntosh Road N.E. at 2:25 a.m. As it turns out, the bag included a loaded firearm, ammunition, binoculars and duct tape, police say.

Later, officers observed a man and woman exit the Audi in a parking lot in the 5000 block of 126 Avenue S.E. Police say there was a stolen white Ford F-150 in the parking lot, occupied by two men and a woman.

The man from the Audi got into the F-150 and took off with another suspect, police said.

Officers were able to arrest a man and woman who had exited the F-150 before it sped off.

Police said they seized a loaded firearm, stolen passport, stolen licence plate and other stolen documents from the Audi.

Later, in Ogden, police spotted the F-150, but say no one was inside.

The suspects were seen getting into yet another stolen vehicle, a silver 2008 Pontiac Torrent, which sped off before stopping in an alleyway near Erin Woods Drive S.E., where the driver was arrested.

Police say the passenger moved into the driver’s seat and continued to flee, heading toward Buffalo Run Boulevard S.W., at which time Tsuu T'ina police deployed a spike belt to stop the Pontiac.

The final suspect was arrested near the 4500 block of 37 Street S.W., at which time police seized a small amount of drugs and a weapon.

The five people arrested are facing 52 charges in total: