The Southern Alberta Crime Reduction Unit arrested a Calgary man who is alleged to have committed seven separate robberies, including one in Trochu that captured headlines in January.
The Southern Alberta Crime Reduction Unit with assistance from numerous RCMP Detachments as well as partner agencies, conducted an investigation over the past several months into a series of robberies that were targeted at banks in the southern part of Alberta. These incidents occurred in Granum, Caroline, Vauxhall (on two separate occasions), Trochu, Calgary and Magrath.
On Jan. 30, 2020, at approximately 11:30 a.m., Three Hills RCMP received a report of an armed robbery at the Alberta Treasury Branch (ATB) in Trochu.
A male in disguise entered the ATB ATM vestibule where he removed what is believed to be a firearm from a Red Husky duffle bag. He then entered the ATB branch and demanded money from an employee of ATB. The male suspect fled with an undisclosed amount of money. No one was injured.
On June 23, 2020 Jesse Damond Morton (44) of Calgary was arrested in Calgary in relation to these robberies. A search warrant was conducted at a storage locker resulting in the seizure of an SKS rifle and $2750 in US currency.
He has been charged with 21 offences some of which include:
· Robbery (x7)
· Wear a disguise during the commission of an offence (x7)
· Using a firearm during the commission of an offence (x2)
· Pointing a firearm
· Possession of a prohibited weapon
A judicial release hearing was conducted yesterday and Morton remains in custody and will be appearing in Airdrie Provincial Court on July 23, 2020.
SAD CRU would like to thank all the agencies involved, including support services, other police services, members of the public, and financial institutions.