Stolen truck crashes into Calgary fourplex, causing extensive damage: police

Calgary police say thieves went up and down an entire block overnight in the city’s northeast, looking for a home to break into.

A pickup truck that smashed into a northeast Calgary home early Monday, damaging the house’s foundation and displacing a resident, was stolen from another house just kilometres away, police say.

The crash happened shortly before 5 a.m., after a Toyota Tundra sped down Templeson Road N.E. and failed to make a sharp turn before slamming into a house.

Resident Marcelo Lokang was inside the home when the truck hit.

“It was like a big bang, you know? The whole house was shaking. The vehicle hit the house with maximum force,” said Lokang.

“The vehicle hit the side of the wall … and then they ran,” Lokang said.

Investigators say the truck had been stolen earlier from a home on Templewood Road N.E., just over a two-kilometre drive from the crash scene.

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Ragit Tekle and her family were sleeping inside the house when thieves entered.

“Around 5:30 (a.m.), we got a call from the police telling us that they found my husband’s truck, apparently run into somebody’s house,” said Tekle.

“So, my husband’s like, ‘No, my car’s at home.’ We went downstairs, looked out the window, and the car was missing.”

Then, they noticed more than just the truck was missing.

“I’m like, ‘Oh, my car is also missing.’ So, there’s two cars missing,” said Tekle.

Police say the thieves broke in and stole several sets of keys, which they used to steal the cars.

They also stole Tekle’s purse.

“They have the keys to a house. They took my wallet. I looked into my bank transactions. They went to two different stores,” said Tekle.

“So, I did close my banking, all my cards and stuff, but yeah, the lady in the bank told me that they can see some transactions being done.”

She said no one in the home woke while the break-in was happening.

Surveillance footage from neighbours later showed a group of men going door to door along the street.

“I’m actually a little bit shook right now. I’m really scared,” she said.

Police say the incident highlights the importance of ensuring windows and doors are securely locked overnight.

“Secure your house. Secure those main-level windows, remove any garage door openers from any vehicles that you may have in your driveway,” said Acting Duty Insp. Shelby Stewart.

“The more opportunity that we can take away, the more that we’re going to prevent these crimes from happening. Oftentimes, it’s something they stumble across if they’re trying door handles. So the more we remove that, the less opportunity that will be there.”

The suspects in Monday’s early morning house break-in and theft remain at large.

Anyone with information or video evidence is asked to call the police non-emergency line at 403-266-1234 or contact Crime Stoppers.