EDMONTON -- A 25-year-old man is facing a series of charges after RCMP arrested him in connection with a string of break and enters where firearms were stolen.

After completing a nearly month-long investigation, RCMP said in a news release Thursday that a man was arrested after four non-restricted firearms were stolen from sheds or outbuildings in the Fort Chipewyan area.

Keifer Mercredi of Fort Chipewyan faces the following charges:

  • three counts of weapons trafficking;
  • two counts of unauthorized possession of a firearm;
  • two counts of breaking and entering to steal a firearm;
  • two counts of possession of property obtained by crime;
  • two counts of possession of a weapon obtained by the commission of an offence; and
  • two counts of transferring a firearm without authority.

Mounties say Mercredi has been released from police custody and is schedule to appear in Fort Chipewyan provincial court on June 3.

Police are reminding residents who have firearms to review their storage practices.

“Outbuildings and sheds are more easily broken into despite the use of gun safes,” Fort Chipewyan RCMP said. “Storage inside a residence using a proper safe or trigger locking device is a preferred storage option.”