On February 7th, 2024, the owner of a stolen pickup truck equipped with GPS tracking alerted St. Paul RCMP, who promptly responded. The truck, stolen from the Edmonton area earlier that morning, entered St. Paul. RCMP covertly surveilled the vehicle as it travelled north on Hwy 881 towards Therien, AB, eventually reaching speeds exceeding 160 kph on Hwy 55.
Multiple RCMP resources, including Cold Lake and Bonnyville Detachments, EAD-CRU, and police dog services, assisted in the operation. Authorities utilized tire deflation devices to disable the vehicle near La Corey, AB, prompting the suspect to flee on foot.
With the assistance of Cold Lake and St. Paul police dog services, authorities tracked the suspect, 21-year-old James Edward Blondeau III of Glendon, Alberta, to a nearby rural residence, where they apprehended him hiding in a garden shed. Upon arrest, authorities discovered controlled substances believed to be Fentanyl and Methamphetamine in his possession.
Blondeau refused bail during a Judicial Interim Release hearing, and authorities remanded him into custody. He is scheduled to appear in court on February 8th, 2024, in St. Paul, AB, facing charges including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, flight from police, possession of stolen property, break and enter, resisting arrest, possession of controlled substances, and disobeying court orders.
It came to light that authorities had released Blondeau on unrelated matters on February 2nd, with conditions prohibiting him from operating a motor vehicle.
St. Paul RCMP underscored the risks posed by high-risk individuals and commended the collaborative efforts that led to Blondeau’s apprehension, highlighting their members’ dedication to ensuring public safety.