Warrant issued for break and enter suspect

By Delon Shurtz on August 11, 2021.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

An arrest warrant has been issued for a 32-year-old man who failed to show up for his criminal trial Tuesday in Lethbridge provincial court.
Matthew James Gajda was set to stand trial on several counts of break and enter and a charge of possession of break-in tools, but after he didn’t attend court, the judge issued a warrant. Calgary lawyer Robin McIntyre was also allowed to withdraw as the accused’s lawyer after she explained she had lost contact with him and had been unable to reach him.
Gajda and three other individuals were charged in February following a string of break-ins to 14 storage lockers at two storage facilities on the north side. The four accused face a total of more than 50 charges.
Lethbridge police, as well as community peace officers and Coaldale RCMP, searched a residence in the 1000-block of 17 Street South and a residence on Eagle Road North, as well as a rural business east of Lethbridge. Police seized two firearms and a small amount of drugs, and between $15,000 and $20,000 worth of property that had been stolen from rural communities around Lethbridge.
Gajda also faces unrelated charges of mischief causing damage, assault, assault with a weapon, and disguised with intent. Those matters were scheduled to be heard in another courtroom Tuesday, during which McIntyre withdrew from the record and a second arrest warrant was issued.

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