Former Mountie charged with theft

An RCMP officer who resigned after allegedly stealing cash during a traffic stop in Portage la Prairie  is facing criminal charges.

Portage RCMP received a complaint about the incident in late November. The complainant said about $300 was taken from his vehicle on Nov. 19.
Mounties investigated the complaint and interviewed Mounties. The officer being investigated — Const. Ben Harder — resigned during the process, Manitoba RCMP said in a news release Friday.

The evidence was given to the Crown, and Harder was served with a summons by Norfolk County Ontario Provincial Police on Thursday.

He is being charged with theft under $5,000 and breach of trust.

“The Independent Investigation Unit took on a monitoring role during this investigation and reviewed the full investigation upon its completion,” RCMP said of Manitoba’s police watchdog.

Harder is slated to appear in Portage court on Oct. 21.