Latest news with #AirdrieRCMP
Calgary Herald
7 hours ago
- Calgary Herald
Suspect arrested in Airdrie catch a predator case to remain behind bars for at least another week
Article content The Calgary resident charged by Mounties after he was targeted by a group of Airdrie youths in a catch-a-predator scheme will remain behind bars for at least another week. Article content Duty counsel Janice Taylor appeared in Airdrie Court of Justice on Thursday on behalf of Zain Alnoor Merchant and asked that his case be adjourned to next Thursday. Article content Article content 'I've spoken with Mr. Merchant. I'm prepared to waive reading of the charges on his behalf,' Taylor said, asking Justice Sheri Epp to excuse his attendance for the brief proceeding. Article content Article content 'He's in custody at the Calgary Remand Centre awaiting a show cause hearing,' Taylor said, or Merchant's intention to seek bail on the charges he faces. Article content Article content 'He'll remain in custody and he'll consent to remain in custody until the next court date which I'm suggesting should be … next Thursday in Airdrie by CCTV.' Article content Crown prosecutor Stephanie Rodgers asked Epp to impose a publication ban on any information that could identify the alleged victim in the case. Article content Merchant, 37, faces charges of abducting a person under 14, sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching, kidnapping, forcible confinement, flight from a peace officer and three counts of breaching prior court prohibition orders, two for contacting a minor and one for accessing the Internet. Article content He was arrested Monday after Airdrie RCMP responded to a report of a child abduction involving a 12-year-old boy. Article content Article content Police said the youth escaped from a vehicle when it stopped at a red light and called 911. Article content A short time later police located a suspect vehicle and attempted a traffic stop but the driver fled southbound on Highway 2, an RCMP news release said. Article content The Mounties engaged the assistance of the Calgary Police Service and with the help of the HAWCS helicopter a suspect vehicle was located at a northeast city residence and an arrest was made a short time later, the RCMP release said. Article content Their investigation determined at least 10 Airdrie youth were involved in a 'catch-a-predator' vigilante plot that went awry, police said. Article content Airdrie RCMP Cpl. Christopher Hrynyk said he's not been involved with an investigation like this in 23 years of service. Article content 'We're more concerned for their safety, their health, and well-being,' Hrynyk said of the group of youths. Article content
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Alberta boy escapes alleged abductor's car in 'catch a predator scheme' police call 'amazingly dangerous'
A 12-year-old boy escaped from the car of an alleged abductor that he and a group of other children arranged to meet as part of a "catch a predator scheme" they had devised on the Snapchat app, according to Alberta RCMP, who are strongly discouraging this type of vigilante activity. The boy was allegedly abducted on Monday evening after getting into the suspect's vehicle in the Coopers Crossing neighbourhood of Airdrie, just north of Calgary. Police said he and a group of at least six other children in the same age range, possibly as many as 10 in total, started a conversation with the suspect and arranged to meet him via Snapchat, without the knowledge of any parents, in an attempt to expose the man as a child predator. "Unfortunately, it didn't go as planned," said RCMP Cpl. Gina Slaney. The 12-year-old boy voluntarily entered the suspect's vehicle so the other youth could record the interaction on video, police said, and the suspect then drove away. The boy later escaped from the vehicle while it was stopped at a red light and called 911. The suspect fled in the vehicle, southbound on Highway 2 toward Calgary. With help from a Calgary police helicopter, he was later located at a home in the city's northeast. Suspect has 'history with police' Airdrie RCMP have now charged a 37-year-old Calgary man, who cannot be named due to a publication ban, with numerous offences including abduction of a person under the age of 14, sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching, kidnapping and forcible confinement, and three counts of breaching a prohibition order. Cpl. Christopher Hrynyk with the Airdrie RCMP's specialized investigation unit said the suspect has "a history with police" and the breach charges relate to "previous investigations which did encapsulate minors being involved." "We've had more than one investigation and file with this offender," added Staff Sgt. Mark Auger with the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team's internet child exploitation unit. Social media trend 'dangerous,' police say Auger said the children's attempt at vigilante justice is part of a "growing trend" on social media that began in the United States and has migrated to Canada. "In my opinion, this all came from the television program To Catch a Predator," he said. Auger said the difference between that long-running American reality show and what people have been doing on social media is that the show involved police officers from the get-go, whereas the social media versions are typically amateur operations that put people at significant risk of harm. "A lot of these setups and these stings will end in violence, in suicide, in sexual assault," he said. The evidence gathered by vigilantes "ad-libbing" their way through online conversations with potential predators also presents "horrendous" challenges for actually prosecuting any alleged crimes, Auger said. "A lot of that will be what we consider tainted evidence because we don't how the script went, how the conversation went. Was it entrapment? Who started the conversation down that road?" Police also urged parents to have conversations with their kids about online behaviour like this. "It's amazingly dangerous what happened with this incident," Auger said.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Yahoo
Alberta boy escapes alleged abductor's car in 'catch a predator scheme' police call 'amazingly dangerous'
A 12-year-old boy escaped from the car of an alleged abductor that he and a group of other children arranged to meet as part of a "catch a predator scheme" they had devised on the Snapchat app, according to Alberta RCMP, who are strongly discouraging this type of vigilante activity. The boy was allegedly abducted on Monday evening after getting into the suspect's vehicle in the Coopers Crossing neighbourhood of Airdrie, just north of Calgary. Police said he and a group of at least six other children in the same age range, possibly as many as 10 in total, started a conversation with the suspect and arranged to meet him via Snapchat, without the knowledge of any parents, in an attempt to expose the man as a child predator. "Unfortunately, it didn't go as planned," said RCMP Cpl. Gina Slaney. The 12-year-old boy voluntarily entered the suspect's vehicle so the other youth could record the interaction on video, police said, and the suspect then drove away. The boy later escaped from the vehicle while it was stopped at a red light and called 911. The suspect fled in the vehicle, southbound on Highway 2 toward Calgary. With help from a Calgary police helicopter, he was later located at a home in the city's northeast. Suspect has 'history with police' Airdrie RCMP have now charged a 37-year-old Calgary man, who cannot be named due to a publication ban, with numerous offences including abduction of a person under the age of 14, sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching, kidnapping and forcible confinement, and three counts of breaching a prohibition order. Cpl. Christopher Hrynyk with the Airdrie RCMP's specialized investigation unit said the suspect has "a history with police" and the breach charges relate to "previous investigations which did encapsulate minors being involved." "We've had more than one investigation and file with this offender," added Staff Sgt. Mark Auger with the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team's internet child exploitation unit. Social media trend 'dangerous,' police say Auger said the children's attempt at vigilante justice is part of a "growing trend" on social media that began in the United States and has migrated to Canada. "In my opinion, this all came from the television program To Catch a Predator," he said. Auger said the difference between that long-running American reality show and what people have been doing on social media is that the show involved police officers from the get-go, whereas the social media versions are typically amateur operations that put people at significant risk of harm. "A lot of these setups and these stings will end in violence, in suicide, in sexual assault," he said. The evidence gathered by vigilantes "ad-libbing" their way through online conversations with potential predators also presents "horrendous" challenges for actually prosecuting any alleged crimes, Auger said. "A lot of that will be what we consider tainted evidence because we don't how the script went, how the conversation went. Was it entrapment? Who started the conversation down that road?" Police also urged parents to have conversations with their kids about online behaviour like this. "It's amazingly dangerous what happened with this incident," Auger said.
Toronto Sun
a day ago
- Toronto Sun
Man charged with abduction after youth enact 'catch a predator' scheme in Airdrie
Suspect faces charges including kidnapping, sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching Airdrie RCMP have charged a 37-year-old Calgary man with numerous charges including kidnapping and sex-related offences after an incident involving a 12-year-old boy on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. Supplied/Alberta RCMP A 12-year-old involved in a 'catch a predator' plan with a group of other youth was allegedly abducted while meeting a man in Airdrie Aug. 18. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account An investigation revealed there are at least seven youths involved in the scheme, where they arranged a meeting with the suspect through Snapchat. The meeting occurred in the Coopers Crossing neighbourhood in Airdrie. One 12-year-old voluntarily entered the suspect's vehicle so that other youth could record the interaction. This is when the suspect drove away. Airdrie RCMP have charged an unnamed Calgary man with multiple offences after responding to an alleged attempt to abduct a 12-year-old boy on Monday. Around 7:50 p.m., RCMP received a 911 call after the victim escaped from the suspect's vehicle while it was stopped at a red light. RCMP located the vehicle and attempted to make a traffic stop, but the suspect fled southbound on Highway 2. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Airdrie RCMP received help from the Calgary Police Service, including assistance from the HAWCS police helicopter, to locate the suspect at a northeast Calgary residence. The male suspect was arrested by Calgary police and turned over to Airdrie RCMP. A search warrant on the suspect's house and vehicle was executed by RCMP. The 37-year-old male, who RCMP said cannot be named due to an ongoing publication ban, has been charged with seven offences related to kidnapping a minor and fleeing police. They include abduction of a person under 14, sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching, flight from peace officer and breach of probation. After a bail hearing, the accused was remanded into custody and will appear in the Airdrie's Alberta Court of Justice on Thursday. Toronto & GTA Columnists Ontario Celebrity Toronto & GTA
Edmonton Journal
a day ago
- Edmonton Journal
Calgary man charged with abduction after youth enact 'catch a predator' scheme through Snapchat
A 12-year-old involved in a 'catch-a-predator' plan with a group of other youth was allegedly abducted while meeting a man in Airdrie Aug. 18. Article content An investigation revealed there are at least seven youths involved in the scheme, where they arranged a meeting with the suspect through Snapchat. Article content Article content The meeting occurred in the Coopers Crossing neighbourhood in Airdrie. One 12-year-old voluntarily entered the suspect's vehicle so that other youth could record the interaction. Article content Article content This is when the suspect drove away. Article content Article content Airdrie RCMP have charged an unnamed Calgary man with multiple offences after responding to an alleged attempt to abduct a 12-year-old boy on Monday. Article content Around 7:50 p.m., RCMP received a 911 call after the victim escaped from the suspect's vehicle while it was stopped at a red light. Article content RCMP located the vehicle and attempted to make a traffic stop, but the suspect fled southbound on Highway 2. Article content Airdrie RCMP received help from the Calgary Police Service, including assistance from the HAWCS police helicopter, to locate the suspect at a northeast Calgary residence. Article content The male suspect was arrested by Calgary police and turned over to Airdrie RCMP. Article content A search warrant on the suspect's house and vehicle was executed by RCMP. Article content The 37-year-old male, who RCMP said cannot be named due to an ongoing publication ban, has been charged with seven offences related to kidnapping a minor and fleeing police. They include abduction of a person under 14, sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching, and flight from peace officer.
