Three Hills RCMP have arrested and charged two males for property crime offenses in the Three Hills and surrounding areas.
On Wednesday, December 28, Three Hills RCMP Crime Reduction Unit (CRU) investigated a theft of a truck from Three Hills, and a break and enter at a rural property near Huxley; both incidents were believed to be related. During the break and enter, the suspects stole a Honda Big Red three-wheeler, assorted tools, and a trail camera that had been placed inside by the owner.
Three Hills RCMP later received a call for service for a vehicle which was trespassing on an oil field lease site near Three Hills.
The male suspect was confronted by workers and a video was obtained; the suspect left after being confronted.
The description of the vehicle used by the suspect matched that of the stolen truck previously reported to police.
Workers then noticed another vehicle drive onto the lease site, and a male was seen driving a three-wheeler that matched that description of the one that was reported as stolen. The three-wheeler was located abandoned on the road and was recovered by police.
Police also located the stolen truck abandoned at a rural property near Three Hills after a call from the public. Upon searching the stolen truck, police located a trail camera inside.
The video files on the trail camera were viewed, and two male suspects were seen committing the break, enter and theft at the rural property near Huxley. The male suspects were identified and located at a property near Three Hills.
Both suspects were arrested and during the arrest, a police officer was assaulted.
Simon May, 33, a resident of Trochu has been charged with break, enter and theft; disguise with intent to commit an offence; and assault of a police officer.
Following his judicial hearing, Simon May was remanded into custody and is set to appear in provincial court in Drumheller on Friday, January 6.
Jesse Bulechowsky, 41, a resident of Kneehill County, has been charged with break, enter and theft; disguise with intent to commit an offence; possession of property obtained by crime; and operation while prohibited.
Following his judicial hearing, Jesse Bulechowsky was released on a $1,000 cash deposit release order to appear in provincial court in Drumheller on Friday, January 20.
Three Hills RCMP encourage the public to report any criminal or suspicious activity. Reports tell us where to look, who to look for, and where to patrol in the future. If you see a crime in progress dial 911.
Three Hills RCMP remains fully committed in building safer communities by working in partnership with our community as well as through investigative and enforcement efforts to achieve this goal.

Members of the Drumheller, East Coulee, and Rosedale Fire halls have had a busy year in 2022, responding to a total of 309 calls as of Thursday, December 29.
Drumheller Fire Chief Derian Rosario says while the number of calls has been slowly increasing over the years, this has been a significant jump from the 193 calls attended in 2021.
“I cannot thank the firefighters of the Drumheller Valley-the East Coulee, Rosedale, and Drumheller halls-enough for coming out (attending fire calls), every single time,” Fire Chief Rosario tells the Mail.
More than half of the calls attended this year-a total of 163 calls-have been for monitored alarms for both commercial and residential properties.
These calls often are due to false alarms, resulting from steam or vapours from hot showers or cooking.
To manage these incidents, Fire Chief Rosario recommends opening a window or using a hood fan while cooking to help ventilate any potential smoke or cooking vapours from triggering an alarm, and also using ventilation fans or opening a window in the bathroom while having a hot bath or shower to reduce steam build-up.
Along with these calls, the department also responded to 61 motor vehicle collisions, which have ranged from minor accidents such as deer strikes, to more serious events, and 43 medical assists, where members have acted as Medical First Responders at the most serious calls to give ambulance personnel support.
There have also been a total of nine structure fires this year, with three of those coming in within the span of a week.
While the cause of these three fires is still under investigation, Fire Chief Rosario says there are some tips to help reduce the risk of fires in your own homes.
Furnace vents and filters should be cleaned regularly as part of annual fall maintenance.
He says one area which can be an area of concern, but is often overlooked, are dryer vents and pipes, and recommends cleaning these regularly.
If the furnace goes out during the winter, Fire Chief Rosario recommends using space heaters with caution, keeping them well away from any potentially flammable materials and ensuring they are plugged in using appropriate cords and plugs. It is also not recommended to use multiple extension cords, as this can increase the risk of fire.
In the event the power goes out, Fire Chief Rosario cautions against using propane heaters indoors as this can pose the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
He recommends fire alarms and CO2 detectors should be checked at least once a month to ensure they are working properly, and any alarm 10 years or older should be replaced.