Ahtahkakoop Mounties deal with break-in in their own backyard

Officers from the Ahtahkakoop RCMP detachment didn’t have far to go to examine the scene of a break-in Saturday.

It was their building.

According to a media release from the Mounties, officers were out in the community just after 7:30 a.m., when they got a call about a break-and-enter at the detachment.

A man had broken in through an exterior door, met the on-duty guard in the cell block and then ran off. The guard called officers, who returned to the detachment a few minutes later.

Officers found a man matching the description of the suspect, but he took off running. The Meadow Lake RCMP Police Dog Services were called and found the suspect, who was arrested.

A 41-year-old man from the Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation was charged with one count of breaking and entering, one count of theft under $5,000, one count of mischief (for causing damage under $5,000) and two counts of failing to comply with a release order.

He appeared in Prince Albert Provincial Court on Monday.

Damage to the detachment was limited to the exterior door.