Guilty pleas negate the need for trial over stolen vehicle, weapon charges

By Peggy Revell on February 14, 2018.

Guilty pleas were entered Tuesday on what was originally set to be the trial of a Medicine Hat man arrested in August after police located him and another man with a stolen BMW from Calgary.

Benjamin Schneider entered guilty pleas at the Medicine Hat Provincial Courthouse for possessing a weapon dangerous, possessing a stolen vehicle, possessing stolen items under $5,000, obstructing an peace officer, possession of stolen identification documents and driving disqualified.

Facts were not read in, but the original report from police stated Schneider and a co-accused were arrested on Aug. 19 when city police began searching the city for the stolen vehicle. Police had received a report from the Brooks RCMP that the vehicle had failed to pull over for them following an assault, as well as there was a report of gas theft in Medicine Hat.

After police located the vehicle, a search of it found stolen IDs and electronics, methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana and bear spray. Police believe most of the stolen items are from the Calgary area.

Sentencing for Schneider did not occur Tuesday, with counsel instead adjourning the matter to Feb. 20 to find another date for sentencing.