A Calgary police officer is facing multiple charges in connection with theft allegations from a number of local hardware stores.
Calgary Police Service (CPS) said in an Aug. 26 release it received a complaint earlier this month relating to “fraudulent activity” and “multiple thefts” from hardware stores in Calgary and the surrounding areas.
An investigation by police found that more than $10,000 worth of items had been stolen over a 12-month period.
CPS Const. Bradley Tepper, 52, has been charged with one count of theft over $5,000 and one count of fraud over $5,000 in connection with the investigation. The 20-year force veteran has since been relieved of duty and is set to appear in court on Sept. 24.
“When a criminal investigation involves one of our own members, it has the potential to undermine trust and confidence in our Service,” Police Chief Katie McLellan said in the release.
“With investigations like this, our responsibility to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation is integral to upholding our principles of accountability and integrity.”
Another Calgary police officer was also charged this summer after an Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) investigation into the May 2023 officer-involved shooting deaths of two men during a slow-speed chase in Calgary’s northeast end.
Thirteen-year Calgary police veteran Const. Craig Stothard was charged with two counts of second-degree murder on July 14 in connection with the incident, police said.
Police received several calls of an alleged impaired driver reportedly travelling “erratically” in a stolen five-ton van. Officers located the van, and multiple police units were called in to block intersections and roads to prevent the van from entering residential areas, Calgary police said.
Police said the vehicle made a sharp U-turn, and officers unsuccessfully attempted to stop the van. The driver steered the van across lanes of traffic at low speeds and refused to stop. Shots were fired when the van headed toward officers, police said.
Two men were pronounced dead at the scene and were later identified as Wesley Davidson and Levon Fox.
ASIRT said it gathered evidence during its investigation that provided “reasonable grounds” an offence had been committed.
A decision by the Alberta Crown Prosecution Services led to charges being laid against Stothard.
