Stolen vehicle nets accused 90 days

By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on October 1, 2022.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

A 31-year-old Lethbridge man who received a jail sentence only last week for two criminal offences, was back in Lethbridge provincial court Thursday where he received yet another custodial sentence.

Travis Robert Taylor pleaded guilty to a single charge of possession of stolen property under $5,000, and was sentenced to 90 days in jail. He was, however, given credit for the equivalent of 56 days spent in remand custody, leaving 34 days to serve.

Court was told a pickup truck was stolen from the Town of Magrath on June 22, and two days later he was caught on a gas station’s video surveillance putting gas into the stolen truck before driving away. He had also placed a stolen licence plate on the truck.

Crown Prosecutor Clayton Giles pointed out Taylor has a criminal record, which includes convictions for fleeing from police, possession of stolen property, break enter and theft and assault.

Taylor was sentenced last week to 45 days in jail on charges of driving while prohibited and failing to comply with an undertaking. 

Taylor was arrested and charged with the drug and driving offences after police noticed on Jan. 13 a suspicious vehicle parked in an alley behind a southside residence, in which the occupants were suspected of criminal activity. Police boxed in the vehicle to prevent it from fleeing, and noted the engine was running and Taylor was the only occupant. Police also found an open bottle of alcohol, drug paraphernalia and small amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl.

Taylor had also been on an undertaking requiring him to reside at a southside residence and adhere to a curfew, but when police had previously checked on him late at night to confirm his compliance with the court order, and knocked on the door, no one answered and it was obvious no one was living there.

Although Taylor was given full credit for the 45 days he had already spent in remand custody, effectively completing his sentence, he was not released because he faced additional charges, including the charge of possession of stolen property for which he was sentenced Thursday. And he returns to court next week, as well, to face still more charges, including trespassing, shopbreaking to commit theft, flight from police, assault with a weapon, resisting a peace officer, unlawful confinement, careless use of a firearm and drug possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Follow @DShurtzHerald on Twitter