An electronic ankle monitor didn’t deter Gerren Jeffrey McKay from stealing cars. Maybe prison will.
The level 4 car thief was sentenced Thursday to 28 months in prison (2 years, 4 months)
McKay, 18, was arrested last December following a high-speed chase in a stolen SUV.
Court heard McKay and another level 4 car thief were both sporting ankle monitors when they broke into three homes and stole a Chevrolet Suburban.
Police linked the pair’s whereabouts to two of the homes where security alarms had been tripped, said Crown attorney Liz Laite.
By the time McKay and his partner had cut off their bracelets, police were in pursuit.
Police chased the pair along Kenaston Boulevard at speeds reaching 100 km/h. The chase ended after police boxed them in near Chief Peguis Trail.
This article is very biased. It does not tell of any mitigating factors, previous record, the offender's background life, etc. Therefore, I cannot make an informed decision.
Removing ankle bracelets backfires against car thieves
TWO of Winnipeg's worst car thieves thought they'd pulled a fast one by cutting off their electronic ankle bracelets and tossing them from the window of a speeding, stolen car.
Turns out the joke was on them -- one of the devices somehow flew into the backseat, without their knowledge, providing police a direct link to their location.
"If you even so much as bend one of these bracelets the wrong way, an alert will send," Crown attorney Liz Laite told court Thursday of the December 2009 incident. "In this case, the police knew these two were together, and exactly where they were."
Members of the stolen auto unit were able to communicate with the monitoring company, based out of Atlanta, and captured the pair after a dangerous, high-speed chase ended with plenty of damage but no injuries in Elmwood.
The 18-year-old passenger of the stolen Ford Fusion pleaded guilty Thursday to several charges stemming from his role in the incident and was given a two-year prison sentence under a joint-recommendation from Crown and defence lawyers.
The Free Press is not publishing his name in order to include details about his extensive criminal past as a youth, which would otherwise be protected by law. This incident is his first adult conviction.
"He is a danger to society. The public has to be protected from him," said Laite. "You hope at some point the light will go on for him and he will realize this is ridiculous. Otherwise he's going to end up doing a life sentence on the installment plan."
The young man has numerous car theft convictions as a teen and is a Level 4 offender, which is the most serious designation given by police. He is a friend of three infamous Winnipeg brothers, who have racked up hundreds of convictions over the years and are deemed among the "worst car thieves in Canada," said Laite.
In fact, the 17-year-old brother was allegedly behind the wheel of the Fusion and remains before the courts. Laite said they will be seeking an adult sentence against him if convicted. His older brother is now an adult and serving time at Stony Mountain Institution, while his younger brother has become a regular visitor to the Manitoba Youth Centre.
The man, and the alleged driver of the vehicle, began their most recent crime spree by stealing an SUV. They went to a residential neighbourhood and broke into three empty homes. During the final break-in, the pair drove away with the victim's Fusion.
They took the car for a spin and slashed their ankle bracelets while in motion, said Laite. Police were alerted and tracked the vehicle to Kenaston Boulevard, where a brief chase ensued. Officers had to call it off when speeds reached 100 km/h, said Laite.
Police tracked the vehicle again in the area of North Kildonan. The driver was eventually boxed in by several police cars on Chalmers Avenue.
Shining a spotlight on young car thieves
Robbery, car theft decline dramatic
Auto thefts down: police
Young car thieves growing up
Similar to the previous article, I found that no mitigating factors or information about the offender's background life were mentioned or what his defence lawyer argued for. It is biased towards the Crown's side of painting this man as a danger to society. I cannot make an informed decision based on this little amount of info given, as to whether the sentence is too harsh or proportionate. I would also like to know the previous sanctions he was sentenced to as a teen, for car theft.
I think that we need to look at the underlying factors contributing to car theft among youths and help to address those problems.
I think this man should have gotten a conditional sentence with a mandatory requirement to take one of these below courses designed to curb car theft. What I don't understand is when the Crown calls these people a "danger to society." The only time they are dangerous, are when police are chasing them, resulting in a high speed chase. If police dont chase them, they are no danger to society.
Here are some programs designed to help prevent car theft:
Winnipeg School Division CHOICES program -- Offers a variety of programs including working with at-risk youth at inner-city schools, having class discussions about gangs and substance abuse.
Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Winnipeg -- Connects high-risk youth with positive mentoring experiences through their adult volunteers.
New Directions Resource Centre -- Works with chronic car thieves referred to their agency by probation services. They offer individualized counselling and assessment, job training and life-skills mentoring and specialized programs for those with fetal alcohol disorder.
Macdonald Youth Services Vehicle For Change program -- An intensive, 10-hour therapy program designed to encourage "non-criminal alternative thinking and behaviour."
Onashowewin Shift To Live program -- A mandatory two-hour program for first-time youth auto thieves.
Removing ankle bracelets backfires against car thieves
TWO of Winnipeg's worst car thieves thought they'd pulled a fast one by cutting off their electronic ankle bracelets and tossing them from the window of a speeding, stolen car.
Turns out the joke was on them -- one of the devices somehow flew into the backseat, without their knowledge, providing police a direct link to their location.
"If you even so much as bend one of these bracelets the wrong way, an alert will send," Crown attorney Liz Laite told court Thursday of the December 2009 incident. "In this case, the police knew these two were together, and exactly where they were."
Members of the stolen auto unit were able to communicate with the monitoring company, based out of Atlanta, and captured the pair after a dangerous, high-speed chase ended with plenty of damage but no injuries in Elmwood.
The 18-year-old passenger of the stolen Ford Fusion pleaded guilty Thursday to several charges stemming from his role in the incident and was given a two-year prison sentence under a joint-recommendation from Crown and defence lawyers.
The Free Press is not publishing his name in order to include details about his extensive criminal past as a youth, which would otherwise be protected by law. This incident is his first adult conviction.
"He is a danger to society. The public has to be protected from him," said Laite. "You hope at some point the light will go on for him and he will realize this is ridiculous. Otherwise he's going to end up doing a life sentence on the installment plan."
The young man has numerous car theft convictions as a teen and is a Level 4 offender, which is the most serious designation given by police. He is a friend of three infamous Winnipeg brothers, who have racked up hundreds of convictions over the years and are deemed among the "worst car thieves in Canada," said Laite.
In fact, the 17-year-old brother was allegedly behind the wheel of the Fusion and remains before the courts. Laite said they will be seeking an adult sentence against him if convicted. His older brother is now an adult and serving time at Stony Mountain Institution, while his younger brother has become a regular visitor to the Manitoba Youth Centre.
The man, and the alleged driver of the vehicle, began their most recent crime spree by stealing an SUV. They went to a residential neighbourhood and broke into three empty homes. During the final break-in, the pair drove away with the victim's Fusion.
They took the car for a spin and slashed their ankle bracelets while in motion, said Laite. Police were alerted and tracked the vehicle to Kenaston Boulevard, where a brief chase ensued. Officers had to call it off when speeds reached 100 km/h, said Laite.
Police tracked the vehicle again in the area of North Kildonan. The driver was eventually boxed in by several police cars on Chalmers Avenue.
Shining a spotlight on young car thieves
Robbery, car theft decline dramatic
Auto thefts down: police
Young car thieves growing up
Similar to the previous article, I found that no mitigating factors or information about the offender's background life were mentioned or what his defence lawyer argued for. It is biased towards the Crown's side of painting this man as a danger to society. I cannot make an informed decision based on this little amount of info given, as to whether the sentence is too harsh or proportionate. I would also like to know the previous sanctions he was sentenced to as a teen, for car theft.
I think that we need to look at the underlying factors contributing to car theft among youths and help to address those problems.
I think this man should have gotten a conditional sentence with a mandatory requirement to take one of these below courses designed to curb car theft. What I don't understand is when the Crown calls these people a "danger to society." The only time they are dangerous, are when police are chasing them, resulting in a high speed chase. If police dont chase them, they are no danger to society.
Here are some programs designed to help prevent car theft:
Menu of programs
These organizations offer programs to teenaged car thieves. Their work is scrutinized as part of the National Crime Prevention Centre project.Winnipeg School Division CHOICES program -- Offers a variety of programs including working with at-risk youth at inner-city schools, having class discussions about gangs and substance abuse.
Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Winnipeg -- Connects high-risk youth with positive mentoring experiences through their adult volunteers.
New Directions Resource Centre -- Works with chronic car thieves referred to their agency by probation services. They offer individualized counselling and assessment, job training and life-skills mentoring and specialized programs for those with fetal alcohol disorder.
Macdonald Youth Services Vehicle For Change program -- An intensive, 10-hour therapy program designed to encourage "non-criminal alternative thinking and behaviour."
Onashowewin Shift To Live program -- A mandatory two-hour program for first-time youth auto thieves.
No comments:
Post a Comment