Thanks to a tip from the public, Red Deer RCMP arrested a man who was wanted on warrants, after locating him in a stolen truck at the Village Mall, on Thursday afternoon.
Shortly before 2 p.m., RCMP received a tip from a citizen who recognized the stolen truck after seeing it on social media.
When RCMP arrived, the black Dodge Ram was parked at the Village Mall. RCMP located the suspect inside a store; as police officers approached, he attempted to flee the store and then resisted arrest, engaging in an altercation with police officers in which one officer sustained minor injuries. The truck had been reported stolen out of Lacombe in April.
Police seized what is believed to be methamphetamine and more than $2,500 in cash. The suspect was also found to be in possession of equipment that was stolen from a Red Deer RCMP police cruiser that had been broken into and vandalized sometime overnight on April 26, while the cruiser was parked in a locked compound for repair.
At the time of his arrest, 24-year-old Connor Raymond Mueller was wanted on three outstanding warrants out of Sylvan Lake for driving dangerously while fleeing police, possession of stolen property and theft under $5,000. Police had been actively looking for him. He now faces the following additional charges:
- Criminal Code 355(a) – Possession of stolen property over $5,000 X 2
- Criminal Code 355(b) – Possession of stolen property under $5,000 X 2
- Criminal Code 129(a) – Resist/ obstruct peace officer
- Criminal Code 270(1) – Assault peace officer X 2
- CDSA 5(2) – Possession of Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking
Mueller will make his first court appearance in Red Deer on May 5, at 9:30 a.m.
The stolen truck has been linked to a number of criminal files in Red Deer and throughout Red Deer County. RCMP continue to investigate and will issue updates as more information becomes available.
“Stolen vehicles are almost always linked to multiple crimes across police jurisdictions, and files like this demonstrate the importance of connected and collaborative police work through partnerships like the Priority Crimes Task Force,” said Constable Derek Turner of the Red Deer RCMP. “This also highlights the importance of public support – the person who recognized the stolen truck and called it in put a stop to a specific chain of criminal activity, and RCMP are grateful for that public support.”