EDMONTON -- RCMP have arrested three people accused in an ATM theft spree that spanned years and saw more than $650,000 looted from stores in central and southern Alberta.

Property crimes investigators in Strathcona County have been looking into the break-and-enters since July 2019, though some of the thefts date back to 2016.

There were 17 break-and-enters in total across all four RCMP districts, including thefts from ATMs at gas stations in Canmore, Airdrie, Red Deer, Blackfalds, Leduc and Sherwood Park.

Strathcona County RCMP shared information with detachments in Bonnyville and Slave Lake, among others. CCTV footage provided from targeted and neighbouring businesses eventually led investigators to their suspects.

Edmonton's Kevin Lee Sider, 40, and Leduc resident Bruce Wayne Larter, 53, were all arrested and charged. A 36-year-old woman was also arrested, but charges were dropped in January 2021.

Sider faces 33 charges and Larter faces 11 charges including break-and-enter, money laundering and possession of stolen property over $5,000, while the woman faced three charges related to money laundering and stolen property.

“I want to acknowledge the significant amount of work undertaken by our Property Crime Unit as well as express my appreciation to all the involved businesses for their assistance to us,” Staff Sgt. Andrew Kyle of Strathcona County RCMP said in a statement.

Sider and Larter remain in custody and will appear in court May 1. The woman was released on an undertaking and will appear in court June 10.

The list of all 17 break and enters is below:

  • Canmore Shell – August 10, 2016;
  • Airdrie Shell – September 18, 2016;
  • Red Deer Shell – October 14, 2016;
  • Blackfalds Fas Gas – August 19, 2017;
  • Blackfalds Fas Gas – December 13, 2017;
  • Valleyview Petro Canada – January 22, 2018;
  • Bonnyville Fas Gas – June 14, 2018;
  • Red Deer Fas Gas – August 6, 2018 and August 9, 2018;
  • Slave Lake Fas Gas – March 20, 2019;
  • Devon Fas Gas – April 15, 2019;
  • Leduc Fas Gas – April 17, 2019;
  • Sherwood Park Fas Gas – July 4, 2019;
  • Devon Fas Gas – August 9, 2019;
  • Coleman Esso – November 23, 2019;
  • Airdrie Fas Gas – November 25, 2019;
  • Penhold Fas Gas – November 26, 2019.