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Major Crimes calls in back up to help with case load

Nov 1, 2017 | 4:56 PM

 

MEDICINE HAT, AB — It’s been an extremely busy fall for the Medicine Hat Police service.

In the last month the Major Crimes Unit has been overwhelmed by the number of incidents that have occurred.

“The last two or three months have been extremely busy with the recent homicide and several other high priority files,” said Inspector Brent Secondiak.

On September 20th the first arson case appeared after police say someone set fire to the Tweed home on the corner of Division Avenue and First Street Southwest.

No charges have been laid in that matter.

Police are still looking into what sparked a grass fire between Redcliff and Medicine Hat on October 25th.

Chad Stadnicki, 41, is facing charges in relation to an arson case in the Flats on October 27th, that sent a 32-year-old woman to hospital with serious burns to her face and upper body.

On October 29th,a garage was set on fire on the southeast hill. It has been labelled that an arson as well.

On top of all the arson cases, the Major Crimes Unit has also been tasked with investigating three recent bomb threats which have included ATB and the Servus Credit Union.

All those cases would normally be a struggle to keep up with, but add in Medicine Hat’s first homicide of 2017 and investigators are swamped.

“Most of the Major Crimes Unit is exclusively dealing with the homicide,” Secondiak said. “We have a few of the investigators that are focusing on sexual assaults [too].”

On October 11th Police were called to an area in the South Flats after a body was found outside of a home.

Police determined the victim was 63-year-old James Satre.

An investigation is ongoing into whether the murder is directly connected to an extortion case in Medicine Hat.

Many people have voiced their concerns about the safety of the community on social media, many questioning what is leading to all this crime. Police say they have the same questions.

“Some of these are drug related, there’s no doubt, but they’re not all drug-related. So, it’s just that crime ebbs and flows and right now we’re at a high point.”said Secondiak.

The large case load has led to the Priority Street Crimes Unit taking over some of the investigations in order to help out.

“They’re dealing with any new Major Crime files that come into the police service,” Secondiak said.

“They’ve done the recent bomb threats in Crescent Heights, and some other high profile arsons that we’ve had.”

Secondiak says crime rates typically decrease in the winter and that’s what they are expecting to see happen.

Police are asking for help from the public in these cases. They’re asking anyone who may have seen or heard something in relation to any of these matters to call police 403 529-8481 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477.