A rural Manitoba homeowner is facing charges after he allegedly shot at a group of thieves stealing from his property over the weekend, police say. According to RCMP, officers were called Saturday at 10:45 p.m. to a reported theft in progress in the Rural Municipality (RM) of Dufferin. Mounties allege four suspects attended a rural private property earlier in the day and returned during the evening in two vehicles later confirmed stolen from Watrous, Sask. RCMP said the property owner, a 66-year-old man, was alerted by a motion camera and went to the area, where he saw suspects transferring fuel from a portable container into one of the stolen vehicles. The owner, who had a gun, allegedly confronted the suspects and fired shots towards the vehicles. Three suspects remained at the scene until Mounties arrived and they were taken into custody with various items believed to be stolen from the property found in the back of the vehicle. The fourth suspect got away in the other vehicle, which was found abandoned in a canola field a few kilometres away. RCMP said the investigation is ongoing. Take ‘reasonable’ steps to protect yourself: police The property owner is facing two counts each of careless use of a firearm, using a firearm in the commission of an offence and discharging a firearm in a reckless manner. He was released on an undertaking. In a statement, RCMP said Canadians may take “reasonable” steps to protect themselves or their property, but “any force used must be reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances, including the nature of the threat.” They added property owners should prioritize their own safety during these incidents and call police rather than confront intruders themselves. “We recognize that having someone enter your property and steal belongings is a serious criminal offence that can have a lasting impact,” the statement reads. “However, intervening directly can create significant risks to all involved.” A 29-year-old man from the RM of Hanover has been charged with multiple offences, including possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, theft under $5,000, mischief under $5,000 and trespassing. A 47-year-old man from the RM of Emerson-Franklin has been charged with theft under $5,000, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, possessing break-in instruments, mischief and trespassing. A 41-year-old woman, also from the RM of Emerson-Franklin, is facing the same charges. The two men were taken into custody, while the woman was released on an undertaking. None of the charges against the four arrested have been proven in court.
