The RCMP say a Calgary resident has been arrested and charged in connection with an alleged child abduction in Airdrie, a city just north of Calgary, after youth engaged in a “catch a predator” scheme.
Soon after, the RCMP say they spotted the suspect vehicle and attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect fled from police and drove south on a major highway that leads to Calgary.
The RCMP say they then contacted Calgary Police Service (CPS) for assistance, who were able to locate the suspect using a CPS helicopter. The suspect was found at a residence in northeast Calgary, where he was arrested by the CPS and turned over to the Airdrie RCMP, the release says. Police say a search warrant was conducted on the suspect’s house and vehicle.
Upon investigation, police discovered that at least seven youth were allegedly involved in a “catch a predator” scheme, in which they arranged to meet the suspect in a neighbourhood in Airdrie through the Snapchat app in an attempt to have the suspect arrested.
One of the youth, a 12-year-old male, got into the suspect’s vehicle voluntarily, police say, so that the other youth could film the interaction. However, “this is when the suspect drove away,” the RCMP say.
Alberta RCMP Cpl. Gina Slaney says that while the youth voluntarily got into the suspect’s vehicle, the youth didn’t consent to the suspect driving away, which is what the suspect is now facing charges over.
Also speaking to the press, Staff Sgt. Chris Zanidean of Alberta RCMP said that police will have conversations with each youth involved in this case about their attempted ploy, but currently the safety, health, and well-being of the youth are police’s primary concern.
“It’s a fine balance between getting the information about what happened and then discouraging further action on their part in the future,” Zanidean said. He added that the victims and witnesses have been very cooperative with police thus far, and that police are collecting information from the public, such as videos and photographs.
Slaney said that while the suspect is facing charges, the incident is a “big lesson” for kids and their parents on how “dangerous” engaging in “catch a predator” schemes can be.
The RCMP says the charges the 37-year-old male suspect of Calgary is facing include abduction of a person under the age of 14, sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching, kidnapping, forcible confinement, flight from a peace officer, and three counts of breaching a prohibition order.
The suspect cannot be named due to a publication ban, police say.
Following a Judicial Interim Release Hearing, police say the suspect was taken into custody and was expected to appear at the Alberta Court of Justice in Airdrie on Aug. 21.
