Social media helps track down semi stolen from Sask. Hutterite colony

This semi, stolen from the Leask Hutterite colony, was found in Edmonton and recovered by RCMP. (Submitted photo)

SASKATOON — A semi and its two Super-B trailers loaded with canola that were stolen from the Leask Hutterite colony overnight Saturday have been recovered.

The trailers, still loaded, were found in Lashburn while the truck was found in Edmonton and recovered by RCMP.

A social media post about the stolen truck was shared more than 3,900 times. It led people to comment and tell police where they saw the truck.

“It was tracked down real fast because of social media and we are very thankful to all the people that helped and notified the RCMP,” said Ruben Wollman, a member of the colony who was headed to pick up the truck Monday.

Wollman said they found tracks through heavy snow leading from a vehicle found on Highway 40 through the sheep pasture and into the colony yard where people live.

In the farm yard, there was five semi-trucks loaded with grain to transport to the elevators. The thief started one of the trucks and drove it out of the colony.

RCMP were notified when one of the farmers went out to warm the trucks up Sunday morning, Wollman said.

“Especially this time of year, with a lot of grain companies not being able to move grain during the winter, we still have lots of grain to move and very limited on the trucking end. So to lose a truck that would be devastating right now.”

Last year, three people came to the colony and tried to steal vehicles, he said.