Three people have been arrested after a break-in, weapons theft and police search warrant in Denare Beach.
According to Saskatchewan RCMP, a pair of incidents reported to Creighton RCMP last week led to a search that turned up several stolen weapons.
Around 9:45 p.m. Dec. 9, Creighton RCMP were alerted to a break-in at a home in Denare Beach. A safe with six firearms in it was taken from the property. The next day, police received a report of a person with a firearm at a property in Denare Beach - officers went to the property, but did not find the suspect.
Later, RCMP from the Creighton, Flin Flon and Cranberry Portage detachments, as well as conservation officers from Provincial Protective Services, conducted a search warrant in Denare Beach and found several weapons, including some reported as being stolen from the Dec. 9 break-in and others reported stolen from previous break-ins in the area. In total, five rifles, two handguns and several magazines for said weapons were found and seized by police, along with what RCMP described as "a quantity of psilocybin [mushrooms] and illegal cannabis".
Two people, a youth and a 22-year-old man, were arrested at the home. The 22-year-old man, identified as Ethan Merasty of Denare Beach by RCMP, is facing a total of 36 charges, including seven counts of possession of a firearm while prohibited, six counts of failing to comply with a probation order, six counts of unlicensed possession of a firearm, five counts of unsecured storage of a firearm, four counts of possession of a firearm knowing it was obtained by the commission of an offence, two counts of drug possession in relating to the marijuana and mushrooms seized and other charges. Merasty will make his first court appearance at La Ronge Provincial Court Dec. 15.
The youth offender can not be identified as per the Youth Criminal Justice Act - they were arrested for breaching a deferred custody order and has been remanded into custody until January 9, when they are set to appear in court.
After the two arrests, police also arrested 41-year-old Robin Merasty of Denare Beach. Merasty faces three charges - one count each of unsafe storage of a firearm, possession of property obtained by crime less than $5,000 and unauthorized possession of a prohibited weapon. Merasty will appear in court in Creighton Feb. 14.
Police are still investigating where some of the weapons found in the search came from, according to the Saskatchewan RCMP statement.
"Creighton RCMP continue to investigate the origin of some of the seized firearms and the circumstances of the theft," reads the statement.
None of the charges have been proven in court.
Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is asked to either call Creighton RCMP at (306) 688-8888 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (1-800-222-8477) or at saskcrimestoppers.com.
