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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Cops chase down wanted teen

Pair facing charges in auto-theft spree

By: Mike McIntyre

23/12/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 16

A Winnipeg teen who led police on a dangerous, high-speed car chase Monday night was wanted for questioning following a deadly crash involving a stolen Hummer earlier this month, the Free Press has learned.

The 17-year-old, who can't be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, is a member of the city's most prominent family of auto thieves and under the most stringent form of supervision the law allows. His 17-year-old cousin was arrested last week and charged with manslaughter for allegedly being a passenger in the Hummer that killed 47-year-old Zdzislaw Andrzejczak on Dec. 11.

Police had been looking for the teen as part of their ongoing investigation. The 18-year-old driver of the Hummer was arrested last week but investigators are still searching for a third occupant who fled the scene.

The teen arrested Monday, and 19-year-old Gerran McKay, were recently released on bail with conditions that included being outfitted with GPS ankle bracelets. Both are Level 4 offenders under the Winnipeg Auto Theft Suppression Strategy, the maximum designation available, and means they are under frequent supervision by police

They were wearing the court-issued bracelets, but allegedly stole a newer-model Chevy Suburban from a parking lot in the 1300 block of McPhillips Street early Monday evening.

Two homes were broken into just after 8 p.m. and no property was taken. But a half-hour later, a home in the 100 block of Great Elm Cove was broken into and a newer-model Ford Fusion was stolen from the garage. The suspects ditched the Suburban and fled in the Fusion.

With the help of Manitoba Probation Services' electronic monitoring staff, the suspects' whereabouts were tracked to the south Tuxedo area of the city.

At 8:50 p.m., police spotted the Fusion in the area of Holland Boulevard and Grant Avenue and attempted to stop it. From there, an intermittent pursuit began that would ultimately involve a dozen police cruisers, including a canine unit and four members of the stolen auto unit, and would take the police from one end of the city to the other, from Tuxedo to Inkster Boulevard and into Elmwood.

Winnipeg police Const. Jacqueline Chaput said the pursuit was aborted a few times, particularly on Grant Avenue, because it became too dangerous for officers. At some points, the suspects were travelling at speeds in excess of 100 km/h. Both thieves cut off their ankle bracelets during the pursuit, Chaput said, but police still managed to corner the heavily damaged Fusion at about 9:40 p.m. at Chalmers Avenue and Henderson Highway. The Fusion was involved in at least one collision, Chaput said.

"No one was hurt, thankfully," she said.

Police have now laid a series of charges against the 17-year-old and McKay. Justice sources say McKay has an extensive criminal history, much of which has been attributed to severe fetal alcohol syndrome.

The 17-year-old boy, his cousin and his two brothers, ages 19 and 21, have racked up more than 200 convictions in the past five years but have not been deterred by the consequences of their crimes. The crimes include numerous counts of car theft, dangerous driving, fleeing the police and possessing stolen goods, along with dozens of court breaches.

The 17-year-old once told a probation officer at the age of 12 how it was "fun" to drive a stolen car at high speeds towards oncoming traffic. The oldest brother is currently in Stony Mountain penitentiary serving a lengthy sentence. The 19-year-old brother is free in the community.

Police sources say the family members routinely laugh off their arrests and joke about how fast they can drive their stolen cars in an attempt to evade arrest. Manitoba Public Insurance has obtained more than $200,000 in judgments against the family members for several costly crime sprees.

There is one piece of good news with the recent spate of car-theft arrests -- only two high-risk offenders are still on the streets.

"If they were both to be picked up, every Winnipegger could keep their car unlocked over Christmas," one justice source said.

www.mikeoncrime.com

 

 

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 23, 2009 A3

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16 Commentscomment icon

These criminals just don't care! No matter what you throw at them, they do not respect any body or any law!
There is no fixing the problem it is all attitude!
there is 1 way to solve the problem. But it is considered inhumane in Canada.You see criminals have more rights then the general law biding public in our country of freedom.

The Federal Conservatives want to bring in tougher crime laws, but the bleeding heart Liberals in the Senate keep blocking them and won't pass the bills.


One Justice Source says and I quote "If they were both to be picked up, every Winnipegger could keep their car unlocked over Christmas "Unquote". What a stupid comment. No wonder the system is the way it is. So whoever this justice source is, why don't you leave your car unlocked for christmas and then let the rest of us know how it turns out? Do you honestly think that just because all of the worst offenders are in jail that there isn't others out there that will do the same thing.

To JasonWayne,

Sorry pal, but never in Canadian history have we ever even been close to having a "Federal NDP government". You give Jack Layton and the NDP party in Ottawa much too much power. Let's face it, all parties are to blame. The conservatives had a huge majority for years after this act was passed!

The YCJA is the fault of the Liberals who brought it in.

It's problems only continue to perpetuate as the Federal NDP government chose to water it down when the Conservatives attempted to give it more teeth. And don't forget the unelected Liberals in the Senate who do the same thing.

Remember that the next election.

THIS IS INSANITY:

"The teen arrested Monday, and 19-year-old Gerran McKay, were recently released on bail with conditions that included being outfitted with GPS ankle bracelets."

"They were wearing the court-issued bracelets, but allegedly stole a newer-model Chevy Suburban from a parking lot in the 1300 block of McPhillips Street early Monday evening."

How is it possible that this practice continues??? In spite of all we know, and a mounting toll of death of destruction, this totally defies all logic!! I've lost hope.

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hasn't anyone heard of that work camp prison? an example is:
http://lcso.leonfl.org/work.htm where inmates are made to work off their debts while in custody. maybe that would help make them think twice about wreaking havoc when they are the ones who have to clean it all up. Just an idea, but it seems that what we are doing now is not working. Or how about mandatory education while in custody? Something! Anything!!!!

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wtf???? it is time to stop letting these punks hold our city hostage!!!! and it is not just winnipeg, it is every Canadian city, here it is car theft, in vancouver it is gang violence... time to make some changes to the justice system and really the only way to make that happen is a Conservative majority government. Start treating these young adults as such, sentence them as such and see how they like it in Stony!

"Justice sources say McKay has an extensive criminal history, much of which has been attributed to severe fetal alcohol syndrome."

Strange how FASD becomes a defense once these kids are involved with the law. A FASD diagnosis cannot be made without the mother admitting to alcohol use during pregnancy. Pediatricians, psychologists, and schools quite often need this important piece of information in order to plan appropriately for this student. The effects of FASD are apparent quite early in life. But mom denies any alcohol abuse until little Johnny is in real trouble, then she says, "Oh, he can't be held accountable for his actions. He doesn't know right from wrong and cannot learn from his mistakes because he has FASD." I'm not saying a diagnosis in itself would prevent these crimes, but if they receive early intervention and appropriate education, it may help.

And how many kids do the 19 and 21 year old cousin have so far? I would think with these role models in their life, they are headed towards a life of crime also. Is anyone doing any intervention with the families or are we allowing them to glorify their lifestyles? Take the little ones for a jail visit and scare the crap out of them.

@ Jason Wayne - I won't defend the NDP per say, but I find it hard to believe the YCJA is the fault of a party who has never been in power and has nothing to do with the Liberals and Tories who have made up the government for the past oh I don't know... 150 years?

FASD. Big problem if there is no one looking after these sociopathic kids. Not all FASD kids are like this but for the ones who are, they need to be put in an institution that will direct them every day. Sounds like a job for the army to me, but I'm sure the army wouldn't want them. What to do? If there's no hope for them for the rest of their life... If I say what I'm thinking, I'm sure the FreePress won't let this post see the screen.

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