Man gets 7 years for sophisticated robberies

Man gets 7 years for sophisticated robberies
Professional thief receives prison term

A "professional criminal" has been sentenced to seven years in prison for a series of highly sophisticated break-ins to various Winnipeg businesses.

Cary Preston, 34, pleaded guilty Monday to stealing more than $30,000 in cash and property over a five-year period by smashing, drilling and tunnelling his way into various stores, restaurants and safes.

"These are cold, callous and calculated crimes, where greed is the motivating factor. They are the hallmarks of a professional criminal," said Crown attorney Chris Vanderhooft.

Solid police work is being credited for Preston’s arrest. Investigators first suspected him in early 2007 after an attempted break-in to the Cathay House restaurant, court was told. Police believed he may be responsible for other unsolved crimes - and perhaps planning future ones - so they obtained a warrant to install a tracking device on his vehicle.

Police were able to quickly link Preston to an incident at the Riverside Inn, where he burrowed his way through the walls and cut a hole in a safe. He was arrested hours later, but released on bail. Police were still monitoring his movements when he went to a Tim Hortons on Christmas Day - knowing it was closed - and used a crowbar to force his way inside. He was re-arrested the following day and has remained in custody since.

Police then got a DNA sample from Preston, which proved to be a match with five other similar incidents dating back to 2002. In several of those cases, Preston cut himself on broken glass and left behind droplets of blood, court was told.

Preston would plan his crimes in advance, and often used tape to cover up motion sensors inside the businesses he targeted when he knew they would be closed and empty. He would also move surveillance cameras and wear disguises to prevent identification. He caused extensive property damage as a result of his criminal methods.

Preston has a lengthy history of property crimes which includes convictions in Alberta and Saskatchewan. He was given double-time credit Monday for nearly 29 months of time already spent in custody, meaning he only has about 27 months of time left on his sentence.

DNA used to convict sophisticated thief of 8 break-ins
For five years Cary Preston evaded police capture in a series of sophisticated commercial break and enters.
Preston’s luck finally ran out, thanks to determined police and his unmistakable DNA, a court heard Monday.
“But for the dogged work of Winnipeg police it’s unlikely any of these break and enters would have been solved,” Crown attorney Chris Vanderhooft said.
Preston, 34, pleaded guilty to eight commercial break and enters dating back to 2002 and was sentenced to seven years in prison.
Police arrested him in November 2007 after he and another man broke into the Riverside Inn and stole $13,000 in cash. Court heard the men cut holes in the walls, allowing them to move freely within the building without triggering the security alarm, and disabled a motion sensor.
Police had been following Preston after identifying him as a suspect in an attempted break and enter two weeks earlier. Police obtained a tracking warrant and affixed a GPS tracking device to his truck.
Released on bail, Preston broke into a Portage Avenue Tim Hortons restaurant on Christmas Day, the one day of the year it was closed. Again, Preston disabled the restaurant’s security system and stole $3,700 in cash. The tracking device was still attached to Preston’s truck when police pulled him over south of the city the following day and arrested him.
While in custody, police matched Preston’s DNA to six unsolved commercial break and enters. In three of the break and enters, Preston cut himself on a saw or other break-in tool, leaving drops of blood behind.
Preston is a “professional career criminal” and should expect to receive maximum and consecutive sentences should he ever appear before court again, said Justice Albert Clearwater.
Preston received double credit for time served, reducing his remaining sentence to 27 months.

This article focuses too much on this man's criminal activities and fails to even mention any possible mitigating factors or defence lawyer statements. Yes, these crimes were planned and pre-meditated and this man does pose a danger to society, but I believe there are likely some mitigating factors in this case which are not being reported on. I feel that 7 years is too harsh. If mitigating factors were present, I feel around 3-4 years would be more appropriate. Non-violent property offenders should not be imprisoned in most cases, and if they are, not for lengthy periods. This man poses more of a danger than most property offenders because of the fact that while released on bail, he committed another break in. This calls for more serious consequences.

The US puts WAY too many people in prison, modeling anything off their failed system is NOT the way to go. There must be other alternatives that can be explored.

A 'Professional criminal' would not be that careless, get cut by glass and leave traces of blood. Sophisticated break-ins does not involve the use of a crow bar, nor puting tape over motion sensors. Finally, professionals would not get caught by the WPS.

Nothing in this story sounds sophisticated or professional. He went through our catch and release system and hasn't exactly been evasive. Used a crowbar and left DNA everywhere. A real pro.  

Carjacker who ran over woman gets 3 years

Carjacker who ran over woman gets 3 years

A man who comes from a family of habitual car thieves has been given a three-year jail term for the violent carjacking of a woman in the city's North End last fall.

The 22-year-old pleaded guilty to robbery during an afternoon provincial court hearing in Winnipeg on Monday.

CBC News is not identifying the man in order to report on his extensive youth criminal record, as well as those of underage members of his family involved in stealing cars and driving them dangerously.

Susan Everett, 43, was dragged, pummelled and run over by the man, who brazenly stole her idling car when she left it unattended in the back lane behind her home on Sept. 4, 2009.

'My body has been seriously injured as well as my heart and my head.'—Susan Everett

When the man jumped into Everett's new Pontiac Vibe and began driving away, the woman reached into the driver's side window and grabbed onto the car's steering wheel to try and stop him from driving off.

Court heard on Monday that Everett's feet were protruding from the window as the car sped away.

Despite the woman's pleas for the driver to stop, the man sped off. He punched Everett twice in the face as she clung to the car and dragged her about 60 metres before running over her leg when she let go of the wheel and fell into the street.

At the time she was run over, the car was travelling at about 60 km/h, court heard.

Everett suffered a number of scrapes, bruises and abrasions, and has been unable to work in the months since the incident occurred, court heard.

"My body has been seriously injured as well as my heart and my head," she said in a victim impact statement read in court.

Everett said her peace of mind has been "ripped away," even though she and her husband have spent $1,000 on extra security measures at their home.

"I get a pit in my stomach every time I turn down my alley," she told Judge Kathlyn Mary Curtis.

"I'm very angry this has happened to me. My husband and I live a quiet life," Everett said.

The man drove the car to an area outside Winnipeg where it was recovered and eventually returned to Everett. The robber was arrested on Sept. 5 and has been behind bars ever since.

'Bad day' triggered violence

According to the man's lawyer, he was staying with relatives just a few houses away from Everett's home and woke up late for work after drinking alcohol the night before.

After he got into a heated argument with his aunt, he left the house "in a huff, quite upset," Greg Hawrysh said.

He saw the running vehicle and jumped into it on "impulse," Hawrysh said.

The man is sorry for what happened after that, the lawyer told court.

"He wants to be a better person," Hawrysh said. "He doesn't want to hurt people anymore — he doesn't want to hurt himself anymore."

'Explaining that it was a really bad day isn't good enough.'—Judge Kathlyn Mary Curtis

Curtis was told that as a teenager in Surrey, B.C., the man was convicted of a number of auto-theft related offences along with possession of stolen property and dangerous driving.

The judge said she didn't buy the man's excuse for the "terrible thing" he did.

"It doesn't cut it," Curtis said. "Explaining that it was a really bad day isn't good enough."

The man was given double-time credit for the nine months spent in custody after his arrest, meaning he has 18 months left to serve. Curtis also ordered him to serve a three-year probation term after he is released.

In a short address to the court, the man said Everett doesn't have to be afraid of him and that he has no plans to bother her again.

"I feel terrible. I'm sorry," the man said.

Curtis suggested the robber's words rang hollow.

"I don't know how much comfort that is to her," the judge said.

Relatives known for car theft

Although he has a different surname, the man's cousins are known in the justice system as the most prolific car thieves in Winnipeg's history.

They are linked to a number of high-profile stolen vehicle incidents and have garnered more than 180 auto theft-related convictions.

The man's 17-year-old cousin was arrested in December and charged with manslaughter in connection to a fatal crash that killed 47-year-old Zdzislaw Andrzejczak, a city mechanic. He remains in custody pending trial.

Andrzejczak died shortly after a stolen 2005 Hummer H2 drove through a stop sign in the North End and slammed into his small car.

Another male relative was Manitoba's first teen auto thief to be given an adult sentence by a judge for his crimes.

Some of the man's cousins have been sued by Manitoba Public Insurance to recoup losses incurred from their auto-theft-related crimes, court records show.

More than $165,000 in civil court judgments have been awarded to MPI against two cousins. Other claims against additional family members remain before the courts.

Carjack incident brings trauma, court told

A Winnipeg woman says she’s afraid to go outdoors after she was beaten outside her home trying to prevent a man from stealing her car.

“I am very angry this happened to me,” the woman told court at a sentencing hearing Monday. “My husband and I live a quiet life. We worked hard and enjoyed spending time around the house and yard. Now I’m afraid to open the door, let alone go out.”

The woman said she and her husband spent thousands of dollars on home security following the September 2009 carjacking. She now carries a personal alarm wherever she goes.

“This incident has wounded me physically, but the emotional scars will take far longer to heal,” said the woman, who told court she has not returned to work since the incident.

Andrew Alexander Slivka, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and was sentenced to three years in prison.

Slivka said the woman has nothing to fear from him.

“I feel real terrible that she lives in fear,” he said. “I’m not the kind of person to retaliate or do anything ... I want her to recover. I don’t want her to be scared.”

Court heard Slivka jumped in the woman’s Pontiac Vibe as it sat running behind the garage of her Aberdeen Avenue home. As Slivka started to drive away, the woman reached in through the driver’s door window, grabbed the steering wheel and pleaded with Slivka to stop.

Slivka attempted to shake her off the vehicle. When she wouldn’t release her grip on the steering wheel, he punched her two times in the head. Court heard Slivka was driving 60 km/h when the woman, fearing for her life, let go of the car and tumbled to the road.

Police arrested Slivka several days later at a Main Street doughnut shop.

Defence lawyer Greg Hawrysh said Slivka was staying at his aunt’s home on Aberdeen Avenue where the two had been involved in a “heated argument.” Still angry, Slivka left the house, saw the woman’s car and decided to steal it “on impulse,” Hawrysh said.

Slivka told Judge Mary Curtis he had “a really bad day.”

“That doesn’t cut it ... that just isn’t good enough,” Curtis said. “You were lucky the injuries weren’t worse than they were.”

Slivka received double credit of 18 months time served. Curtis sentenced him to an additional three years probation.

I would like to know more about this man's childhood background and other mitigating circumstances. Coming from a family of car thieves, is definitely a major mitigating factor. When surrounded by criminals, I doubt that this man was taught morals, guidelines or values as a child and teen. He was surrounded by negative role models, who clearly had a negative influence on him. I do not believe that this man should have been sentenced to 1.5 years prison. This act was impulsive and I do not believe that prison will address the root causes of his criminal behaviour. It will likely further entrench him in the criminal lifestyle and have a negative impact on him. I believe that he should have been sentenced to a 2 year conditional sentence and 3 years probation, with conditions to participate in programming, community service, restitution, etc. 

Jurors hear evidence in Winnipeg murder trial

Jurors hear evidence in murder trial

Jurors have begun hearing evidence in the trial of a man accused of killing another man outside a Magnus Avenue crack house.

Cory Owen Bushie, 30, has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the July 2007 shooting death of 20-year-old Aaron James Nabess.

Prosecutors argue Bushie and Nabess arrived at the crack house in the company of two women and spent a short time inside before moving to the back lane. A witness is expected to testify she saw Bushie pull a gun from his waistband before Nabess was shot.

Police arrived a short time later and arrested Bushie at the scene.

So.. what's the argument that the Defence put forward?? It annoys me how many news outlets, simply list what the Crown argues, but not the Defence! There are two (or more) sides to every story, and their side is not being heard or being given proper coverage, unfortunately, which can lead to the public's distorted perception of crime. 

Two key witnesses to testify

JURORS were told Tuesday that two women will describe a killing that capped a wave of violence and prompted immediate action from Winnipeg police and politicians.
Cody Owen Bushie, 29, has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the July 2007 shooting death of Aaron Nabess, 20.
Crown attorney Steve Johnson told jurors Tuesday the case is "straightforward" and will include testimony from two key witnesses who saw Bushie pull the gun from his pants moments before the deadly attack.
Bushie, Nabess and two women had been together earlier that night, socializing inside a notorious "crackhouse" at 575 Magnus Ave., court was told. The group left the home and were standing in the back lane when the shooting happened.
The Crown didn't provide any motive for the attack, but that isn't needed to secure a conviction. One of the witnesses is Nabess's former girlfriend and the other is her friend.
The Nabess killing came after two other unrelated neighbourhood shootings in a 24-hour span. An 18-year-old man was critically wounded after being shot on Magnus Avenue, just a block away from where Nabess died. A 27-year-old man escaped serious injury after being hit with gunfire hours later on Alfred Avenue.
Mayor Sam Katz and acting police chief Menno Zacharias responded to the attacks by announcing stepped-up police patrols in the area, which some residents had started calling "Homicide Heights."
Twelve extra patrol units were assigned to the area.

Appeal court halves sentence
THE Manitoba Court of Appeal has slashed a prison sentence in half for a man who robbed the same Winnipeg gas station employee three times in as many weeks.
Troy Draper, 26, learned this week he will only have to do three years behind bars, instead of the original six-year penalty he was given last year.

Justice Freda Steel said the lower court sentencing judge failed to properly consider several key issues, including Draper's addiction to crack cocaine, lack of a prior criminal record and the fact he suffers from fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
"The sentencing judge significantly underemphasized the mitigating factors and the role of rehabilitation in this case," Steel wrote in her decision.

Draper pleaded guilty to four armed robberies, including three against the same Domo gas station victim. The other hold-up was at the Royal Canadian Legion. Draper was out on bail at the time of the April and May 2008 incidents for a theft charge, court was told. He wore a mask in all four cases, and was armed with a knife during one.
Draper filed an appeal of his lengthy prison sentence, claiming it was "unfit, harsh and excessive."
The Crown argued no mistakes were made, especially given how much he traumatized the one victim who was targeted three times.
"While it is true that denunciation and deterrence are key sentencing principles in cases involving robberies, that has to be weighed against the importance of rehabilitation of first offenders," said Steel.
Draper claimed he committed the robberies to get money to feed his untreated drug habit.

As I said previously, I completely with the Court of Appeal Judge's decision in halfing this man's sentence! In my opinion, even 3 years is too harsh, but it's better than 6 years! This man has no prior criminal record, an untreated cocaine addiction and FAS, all of which are mitigating factors that can be rehabilitated. After release from prison, this man should be required to participate in drug treatment counseling and counseling/treatment for his FAS. If unemployed, he should also be counseled on how and where to find employment, so he can support himself.   

Serial robber has sentenced reduced

Serial robber has sentence slashed; 6 years reduced to 3 on appeal

Manitoba's highest court has slashed the sentence of a man convicted of a string of threatening gas bar robberies in half.

In a decision released on Tuesday, the Court of Appeal said the six-year sentence given to Troy Gordon Draper last year was harsh and unfit because the judge overseeing his case didn't take into account the degree to which he suffers from mental-health issues.

Draper, now in his mid-20s, pleaded guilty to robbing the same Domo gas bar clerk three times at closing time between Mar. 24 and May 7, 2008.

'He is often used by other inmates to do chores for them.'—Justice Freda Steel

He also admitted to robbing a branch of the Royal Canadian Legion on May. 9 that same year.

In all four robberies, Draper wore a disguise and "postured as if armed." On one occasion, a knife was brandished at his victim. On three occasions, he was with a co-accused, who was not identified on the court's decision.

After his arrest, Draper gave a statement to police admitting to the robberies, saying he committed them because of a crack cocaine addiction.

The sentencing judge handed Draper a six-year prison sentence for the crimes.

However, Justice Freda Steel ruled in a 15-page decision that the "unique constellation" of circumstances surrounding Draper's case wasn't properly accounted for and substituted a three-year and one month long sentence instead.

Draper was given credit for eight months of time served pending a decision in his case, reducing the time he'll have to serve to just over two years.

Steel said the sentencing judge — who was not identified in her decision — overemphasized punishing Draper for the robberies, and failed to adequately address the fact he was a first-time offender suffering from Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and addiction-related issues.

FASD refers to a range of disabilities that are seen in people whose mothers drank alcohol while they were pregnant. Problems children face can include learning disabilities, memory loss, short attention spans and difficulty understanding the consequences of actions.

"Only a general reference was made to the mitigating circumstances," Steel wrote. "The sentence is simply unfit for this offender and these offences."

Steel ruled that while Draper's conduct couldn't be excused, the fact he was thieving to feed an addiction means he shouldn't be treated the same as "an offender whose robberies are driven solely by greed."

Restraint urged

Steel also cited as positive Draper's ability to remain out of custody on house arrest in an adult foster-placement program and take programming pending trial without breaching his bail conditions.

The brief time Draper spent behind bars after being arrested was "very difficult since he is often used by other inmates to do chores for them," Steel stated. "He experiences high anxiety in his dealings with other inmates and has been transferred repeatedly as a result."

"With offenders such as [Draper], the court should follow the principle of restraint as much as possible," Steel wrote. "When incarceration is required, the term should be as short as possible and tailored to the individual circumstances of the accused."

Restraint requires sentencing judges to consider rehabilitation in determining appropriate jail terms, she stated.

I completely agree with the Court of Appeal's decision to reduce his sentence. This is a move in the right direction. This man is a first time offender and suffers from cocaine addiction issues and fetal alcohol syndrome. His sentence should therefore, be as little as possible, so that his issues and underlying factors contributing to crime can be dealt with effectively, in the community. 

After release, this man should attend substance abuse treatment and treatment/counseling for his mental health issues. He should also be assisted in securing employment and job training, and further education, as this reduces the risk of re-offending. 

Man pleads guilty to home invasion

Man pleads guilty to violent home invasion

A 29-year-old man from rural Manitoba pleaded guilty Wednesday to the violent home invasion and gunpoint kidnapping of a Steinbach-area couple.

Evan Woywoda was set to go on trial in late April but changed his mind and elected not to fight the charges. He has been in custody since the August 2008 incident and will be sentenced later this spring.

No details of the evidence have been presented in court.

RCMP said at the time the victims were abducted in the middle of the night from a home in the Rural Municipality of La Broquerie by two men armed with a rifle. The husband was taken first but managed to escape. The accused then returned to the home and grabbed his wife, forcing her into a vehicle and driving her to a bank in Steinbach where she was ordered with withdraw cash.

The woman was rescued by police, who spotted the suspect vehicle and arrested the accused without incident. Neither victim suffered any serious physical injuries.

RCMP believed the unusual incident was an attempted extortion.

Woywoda admitted Wednesday to kidnapping, break and enter commit robbery, use of a firearm and point firearm. A co-accused, Danilo Wiebe, previously pleaded guilty to similar charges and was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Judge's daughter sentenced for 'nasty' robberies

Judge's daughter sentenced for 'nasty' robberies

The adopted daughter of a provincial court judge was sentenced Friday to time served plus two years probation after pleading guilty to two counts of robbery.

Twenty-one-year-old Jessica Linda Smith is the adopted daughter of Judge Marva Smith.

Because of her mother’s position, Jessica Smith was prosecuted by a Saskatchewan Crown attorney and sentenced by a Saskatchewan judge.

Associate Chief Judge Clifford Toth described the robberies as violent and “nasty” crimes that would have welcomed a penitentiary sentence had Smith committed them in Saskatchewan. Toth said Manitoba places a greater emphasis on rehabilitation for young, first-time offenders like Smith.

Crown attorney Bill Burge recommended Smith be sentenced to two years less a day, minus credit for time served.

Smith served 208 days in custody prior to sentencing, or the double-time equivalent of 131/2 months.

“You are not on probation for shoplifting,” Toth told Smith. “If you blow it off there will be some real consequences ... You have a real record now.”

Smith’s robberies occurred within three hours of each other, in March 2008. In the first robbery, Smith was driving with three friends when, shortly before midnight, they spotted the 15-year-old female victim in a bus shelter on St. Mary’s Road. Smith pepper-sprayed the victim and stole her handbag containing a digital camera, a cellphone and $110 cash.

Less than three hours later Smith — accompanied by a co-accused — pepper-sprayed a pizza delivery driver and robbed him of $100 cash and two large pizzas.

Out of control

Defence lawyer Lisa Labossiere said Smith’s life was spiralling out of control following a domestic breakup and a number of family setbacks. According to a therapist’s report, Smith’s use of cocaine and alcohol prior to the robberies put her in a “state of emotional vulnerability and volatility.”

Smith was granted bail in July 2008 but was later returned to custody when she failed to appear in court.

Toth ordered that Smith pay restitution of $700 to her two victims and apologize to them either in person or in writing.

I completely agree with the probation sentence. She has no prior record. I believe she needs counseling and treatment for her family setbacks, drug and alcohol usage. This woman needs help, not prison. 

Winnipeg is the robbery capital, but numbers continue to decrease

Still robbery capital; Winnipeg's per capita rate tops in Canada

Despite dramatic decreases in the last decade, Winnipeg remains the robbery capital of Canada, according to a report analyzing holdups.

Released Thursday, the Statistics Canada study, based on 2008 data, found Winnipeg’s per capita robbery rate of 233 incidents per 100,000 residents was the highest of major cities and more than twice the declining national average of 97.

Meanwhile, Manitoba was tops among provinces and territories.

In terms of actual numbers, Winnipeg’s 1,771 incidents ranked fifth.

Winnipeg has consistently had one of the worst robbery rates, despite a 24% decrease since 1999, so the unpleasant title didn’t surprise many.

Winnipeg Police Association president Mike Sutherland said the city figures may be higher than it appears because the study focuses on the entire Winnipeg census metropolitan area, meaning some bedroom communities and their low crime rates are lumped in, bringing the rate down a bit.

“I would imagine the city of Winnipeg alone is higher,” Sutherland said.

The overall decline is mostly due to a drop in robberies of banks and stores.

Sutherland attributes it to advancements in security.

“If one target becomes riskier they’ll just move on to another one,” he said.

Home invasions and public transit robberies were up, while gas station and convenience store holdups were among the highest in Montreal and Winnipeg, the report found.

What the study doesn’t measure is the emotional toll on victims.

Donna Chartrand, who’s visually impaired and in a wheelchair, said she’s afraid to leave her home on her own since she, her grandson and service dog were assaulted and robbed by a group of youths.

“I stay in my house more than anything. I used to be hot-wheeling all over the place but now I feel too scared,” Chartrand said.

At 62%, most holdups in Winnipeg in 2008 were of the strong-arm variety, where a person is robbed of property, said Staff Sgt. Rhyse Hanson of Winnipeg Police Service’s major crimes unit.

Money and jewelry were stolen the most.

Some do it because they think they’ll get away with it or won’t get a severe sentence if convicted, Hanson said.

He said police patrol areas where robberies occur frequently and urge people to be mindful of their safety and surroundings.

Half of all robberies occurred in public places such as a street, while 39% occurred in a bank or business and 10% in homes, the report found.

Sutherland and Mayor Sam Katz said they want changes to the Criminal Code and Youth Criminal Justice Act to create stiffer penalties.

Sutherland said Winnipeg needs more police officers.

Winnipeg robbery capital, but numbers are decreasing

CONVENIENCE store manager Shital Patel has a rule: If a robber demands cash, hand it over and hope you're spared.

It's good she's prepared because robbers in Winnipeg are more likely to target convenience stores and gas stations than robbers in most other Canadian cities, according to a Statistics Canada report released Thursday.

Patel's been lucky. Robbers haven't hit the Island Lakes Food Store during her daytime shift there. However, the report indicates robbers hit almost 160 Winnipeg stores last year.

"If you want money, take it, but leave the person alone," Patel said.

Winnipeg was second only to Montreal in the number of gas stations and convenience stores robbed in 2008. Winnipeg led the country in all police-reported robberies. Regina and Saskatoon were second and third.

On winter nights when darkness falls early and neighbouring businesses close, Patel said the convenience store shuts its doors to minimize danger.

Robbery is defined in the Criminal Code as theft of property by violence or the threat of violence. It therefore includes a range of crimes such as carjackings, home invasions, bank robberies and purse-snatchings.

But the Statistics Canada report is not all bad news. It says robberies in Manitoba have decreased by 20 per cent from 1999 to 2008. In the same period, robberies in Winnipeg decreased by 24 per cent.

Winnipeg has seen a large drop in car thefts. Investigators track carjackings and report them as robberies because they involve force.

Even with the decline since 1999, however, the release of the survey is a timely reminder to Winnipeggers the greatest danger of robbery is being strong-armed, said Major Crimes Unit Staff Sgt. Rhyse Hanson. That means a mugging, such as teenagers robbed of their iPod by bullies.

"Lots of time the public has the impression of a robbery of somebody coming into a bank or into a convenience store with a mask and gun," said Hanson. "Well, the vast, vast majority of robberies that take place in Winnipeg aren't that kind of robbery."

The Statistics Canada report notes that 50 per cent of robberies happen in outdoor places such as streets and parking lots, and about 39 per cent happen in places such as schools, banks and stores.

Hanson said most robberies are crimes of opportunity which involve no planning.

"(Robbers) see the victim in front of them, see that they have something that they want -- whether it's the case of beer or the iPod or the cellphone... so they take that instant opportunity," said Hanson. The same things that make convenience stores and gas bars attractive to customers may make them easy pickings for robbers, said Hanson.

"They're close and open 24 hours for the legitimate customer, they're also close and open 24 hours for the not legitimate person," said Hanson. And it's easy to "flip" cigarettes into cash, he said.

gabrielle.giroday@freepress.mb.ca

By the numbers:

Gas station and convenience store robberies per 100,000 population in 2008:

Montreal: 27.6

Winnipeg: 21

St. John's: 20.7

Sherbrooke: 18.6

Hamilton: 18.2

Police-reported robberies per 100,000 population in 2008

(Change from 1999 to 2008)

Winnipeg: 233 (-24%)

Regina: 222 (+31%)

Saskatoon: 212 (+1%)

Vancouver: 171 (-32%)

Edmonton: 171 (+11%)

Montreal: 151 (-32%)

-- Source: Statistics Canada

Are people really still that naive and stupid to believe that making tougher penalties will work? Sorry to tell you that it does NOT work. It will not prevent crime in any way as criminals do not think about the consequences of there actions, or about the penalties. It is impulsive in most cases. Studies have shown that tough penalties and getting tough on crime, do NOT deter or reduce crime, so I am not sure as to there reasoning for wanting tougher sentences.. It baffles me, how people can still believe this scam! Anyone with common sense and reason and knowledge of some stats, should be able to determine that this is not an effective strategy for reducing crime. 

We need more early intervention programs and crime prevention programs in the community such as examining why robberies are committed and try to address the underlying issues, such as building more community centres, providing more recreational activities, better schooling, etc. People need to wake up and realize that this isn't working! 

And even tougher penalties were introduced, the recidivism rates are very high when people are released from prison. Do we as a society want more dangerous individuals on the streets? Or do we want to help these people with rehab and crime preventive programs? I think the answer is clear and we need to do what will be best for society in the long run.

Besides, robberies are decreasing so I don't see the purpose or reasoning in wanting to implement stiffer penalties. Clearly, they are decreasing. Is there a need for stiffer sentences? No  

Edmonton drug driver jailed

Drug driver jailed

A 21-year-old crystal meth addict who fled in a stolen car with the owner hanging out the window and then knocked her off before running over her leg has been put behind bars.

Briana Lee Shields was sentenced to four years in prison Wednesday after pleading guilty in provincial court to theft, robbery and failing to stop at an accident scene.

“The victim was injured and crying for help and you simply drove away,” said Judge Donna Valgardson, adding it was fortunate the victim wasn’t more seriously hurt.

Crown prosecutor Dennis Chronopoulos told court the Dec. 17 “carjacking” happened after Bertha Letendre parked her Honda Civic in the area of 111 Avenue and 149 Street and went to attend a yoga class.

While Letendre was in the class, Shields smashed the passenger side window of the car and fled with a stolen bag.

She then discovered the keys to the Honda were in the bag and returned to steal the vehicle, said Chronopoulos.

Meanwhile, Letendre had come out and found the smashed window and returned to the yoga studio to grab a broom and dustpan. Then, as she came out again, she saw Shields in the driver’s seat with the engine running.

Letendre ran over and jumped partially inside the Honda through the smashed passenger window as it was reversing and tried to put the car into park, said Chronopoulos.

Shields punched Letendre in the face multiple times and, as the car owner was hanging from the vehicle, she drove into a concrete barrier on the passenger side and knocked the woman off so she landed partially under the Honda.

Shields then drove over the woman’s left leg and fled. Fortunately, due to the car’s position on the curb, the full weight of the vehicle did not land on the leg, court heard.

Police were able to track the vehicle to a nearby apartment building, where they located and arrested Shields.

A strong smell of bleach was noticed both in the vehicle and in the apartment and a panicked Shields admitted trying to remove evidence of her being involved.

Court heard Letendre suffered a 30-cm abrasion and bruising to her leg as well as a swollen and bruised right eye.

Shields also admitted being involved in stealing a pickup truck, breaking into a new Sheriff’s office in Whitecourt and making off with $26,000 worth of tools and equipment on Feb. 12, 2009, while she was high on speed.

Defence lawyer Marshall Gourlay told court Shields had been suffering from a drug addiction to crystal meth.

Shields, the mother of a three-year-old girl, tearfully apologized to the carjacking victim and to her father, who was present in court, and promised to seek drug treatment.

Shields was given six months’ credit for time spent in pre-trial custody, leaving her with 3 1/2 years to serve.

She was also ordered to submit a DNA sample for the national DNA databank in Ottawa, banned from driving for one year following her release and ordered to pay $4,952 in restitution.

What this woman did was horrible and violent, but I recognize that she is extremely remorseful, is a mother to a 3 year old child and suffers from a drug addiction. I don't believe that federal prison could help her in any way. I would have sentenced her to 2 years less a day (provincial prison) to express denunciation and specific deterrence along with 3 years supervised probation and the 1 year driving prohibition. She should have to take drug counseling as well. 

Woman claims she was forced to break the law

From singer to bank robber; woman claims she was forced to break the law

- She aspired to become a singing star in her home country of Belize, releasing her first CD at the age of 19 with the promise of more to come.

- "I love you," a tearful Emelda Marie Cuddy said to more than 30 supporters who filled a provincial court Wednesday for her emotionally charged sentencing hearing. Cuddy, 26, blew a kiss to everyone as she was led away in handcuffs to begin serving a four-and-a-half year prison term.

- Cuddy was arrested in December 2007 while trying to cross the U.S. border in Pembina while on her way to see a Green Bay Packers football game. A search revealed an outstanding warrant for her arrest based on an ongoing police investigation.

- She admits she was the woman behind the mask who held up six credit unions in Winnipeg between July and December 2007. Although she was never seen to have a weapon, Cuddy would threaten bank staff with violence -- in one case claiming she would return to kill a pregnant teller if her demands weren't complied with, court was told.

- Received more than $35,000 in cash during the robberies. There were no physical injuries.

- Once-promising life took a troubling turn when she began hanging out at several Winnipeg bars and "got caught up with the wrong crowd." He told court she met several people who had ties to the gang and criminal underworld and may have "pressured" Cuddy into committing crimes.

- In her final robbery, bank staff observed Cuddy crying as she stood in line, waiting to be called to the counter where she would produce a threatening note demanding cash.

- "I don't want to do this," she sobbed to her victim.

- Experimenting with drugs but was not committing crimes to feed an addiction

- She has now been ordered to repay all of the stolen money. No explanation was given to court about where it ended up.

- Cuddy is a Canadian citizen who has been in the country for many years and previously studied business administration at Brandon University.

- She also used to work in a bank as a teller, which gave her inside knowledge she applied when planning her robberies

- Cuddy went by the name of Marie Reimer when she released her first CD, called Maria, in 2003.

- Cuddy predicted big things for her career in a Belize TV interview. 

- She chose the name Maria because it is a name that could go both ways, whether she decided to make Spanish music or English.

- "You can still be a productive, contributing member of society," Finlayson said. "But today, you must pay for the crimes you committed."

I believe that this is one of those cases where the defendant did not rob the banks to support a drug addiction or because she wanted to harm anybody. She had a different type of intent than most criminals and that should be considered. She had no previous record, expressed extreme and sincere remorse, was under financial pressures and became associated with the "wrong people" who did drugs. This woman promised to never re-offend and I think that she realizes the harm she has caused to the victims of the robberies and I believe her. 

I don't agree with this woman's sentence of 4 and a half years. I feel that prison should be reserved for those people are dangerous and violent and who have a high to moderate risk of re-offending. I dont believe that this woman fits any of these criteria. She committed the bank robberies for different reasons than most other criminals would and I dont believe that prison will help her, but could possibly harm her. She will have to be sent to Edmonton Women's Prison where she is far from her family and friends and is immersed in pro-criminal attitudes, values and behaviours of the women in prison.

I believe that this woman should have received a 2 year conditional sentence combined with a fine with conditions of abstaining from drugs/alcohol, not going to banks, etc. I believe she can be rehabilitated and that serving her time in the community would help her to become a better person and to truly take responsibility for her actions. She made a mistake by becoming involved with the wrong crowd and had and still has a big future and dreams that she should be allowed to pursue. 

This sentence is NOT appropriate, in my opinon and is far too harsh for this woman.   

This is the comment I posted on the Winnipeg Free Press: I completely disagree with this sentence.

This woman did not possess the intent that most criminals do, when they rob a bank. She didn't want to do it, but was under financial pressures and was influenced by the "wrong group of people."

She has no previous record, expressed sincere and extreme remorse and just made a mistake by becoming associated and involved with the "wrong group of people" who did drugs and who may have pressured her into committing these crimes.

I believe she truly realizes the harm she has caused these victims.

I feel that prison should be reserved for those people are dangerous and violent and who have a high to moderate risk of re-offending. I don't believe that this woman fits any of these criteria. I think prison could harm her rather than help her.

I think she should have gotten a conditional sentence because I support rehabilitation and believe that this woman just made a mistake and will not re-offend.  

Bank teller turned bank robber sentenced to 4 1/2 years prison

Ex-teller apologizes for terror in heists 

- A former bank teller turned bank robber apologized in court yesterday for the terror she inflicted on her victims. 

- “It pains me in my heart to think of the tellers and victims involved,” Emelda Cuddy told a judge before being sentenced to 4 and a half years in prison. “I promise I will never reoffend or commit any crimes again."

- The 26 year old woman plead guilty to 6 credit union robberies between July and December 2007 where she obtained $31,000 cash. 

- The show of support “speaks volumes of the person that lays deep inside you,” said Judge Rob Finlayson. “... But today you must pay for the crimes you have committed.”

- Defence lawyer John Corona said Cuddy “started hanging out with the wrong crowd” in the spring of 2007 and began using drugs with people she met in the Corydon Avenue bar scene.

- “She became associated with gangsters and the subject of extreme financial pressures." 

- Cuddy did not rob the banks to support a drug habit.

- Cuddy typically disguised herself with sunglasses and a hoodie before handing a teller a note saying she had a gun and demanding money.

- “I.P. (Indian Posse) is watching outside,” she wrote in one note. “I have two minutes to get $8,000 or I will shoot two people.”

- Staff at the last bank Cuddy robbed said she was visibly upset and crying and said she “didn’t want to do it but needed the $5,000.”

- “She was a teller, she knew how traumatic and scary it must have been for these tellers to be robbed."

- “This has had a significant impact on her psyche. The level of remorse is genuine.”

- Cuddy was arrested the following day trying to cross the border into North Dakota.

- Crown recommended Cuddy be sentenced to six years in prison and said Cuddy used her knowledge of banking to her advantage — including specialized instructions in her robbery notes — and was careful not to leave any fingerprints. 

- Defence said Cuddy was under “extraordinary pressures” and had never been in trouble with the law. 

- At the time Cuddy committed her first bank robbery, she was facing fraud and theft charges in connection with $29,000 she pilfered from the Entegra Credit Union.

-Those charged were stayed by the Judge because the money had been repaid.

I believe that this is one of those cases where the defendant did not rob the banks to support a drug addiction or because she wanted to harm anybody. She had a different type of intent than most criminals and that should be considered. She had no previous record, expressed extreme and sincere remorse, was under financial pressures and became associated with the "wrong people" who did drugs. This woman promised to never re-offend and I think that she realizes the harm she has caused to the victims of the robberies and I believe her. 

I don't agree with this woman's sentence of 4 and a half years. I feel that prison should be reserved for those people are dangerous and violent and who have a high to moderate risk of re-offending. I dont believe that this woman fits any of these criteria. She committed the bank robberies for different reasons than most other criminals would and I dont believe that prison will help her, but could possibly harm her. She will have to be sent to Edmonton Women's Prison where she is far from her family and friends and is immersed in pro-criminal attitudes, values and behaviours of the women in prison.

I believe that this woman should have received a 2 year conditional sentence combined with a fine with conditions of abstaining from drugs/alcohol, not going to banks, etc. I believe she can be rehabilitated and that serving her time in the community would help her to become a better person and to truly take responsibility for her actions. 


This sentence is NOT appropriate, in my opinon and is far too harsh for this woman.