Calgary police patrol rifle stolen in car prowling incident

Calgary police are asking for the public's help after a vehicle break-in resulted in the theft of an officer's weapon.

Police say an off-duty CPS member was eating dinner at a Crowfoot Crossing restaurant Saturday night when someone broke into his personal car, which police could only describe as a Subaru. 

The person took a locked case from the car, containing the officer's C-8 Colt patrol rifle and two 28-round magazines. 

The officer had taken the rifle home for cleaning. He discovered his car had been broken into when he left the restaurant around midnight and alerted police.

Supt. Kevan Stuart says the incident made him feel "sick" to his stomach.

Criminal Code breach?

"There is no reason in my mind why an officer would take his firearm home," he said.

Investigators are canvassing the area for CCTV footage to determine if other vehicles were also targeted. The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) is overseeing the investigation, but the Calgary police professional standards unit is also looking to see if there were any breaches of the Criminal Code or police procedure.

The officer has been with the Calgary police for roughly three years and has been suspended with pay, according to Stuart.

"If our investigation determines that there is any Criminal Code breaches ... this officer's career is in huge jeopardy," Stuart said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Calgary police or Crime Stoppers. Stuart says if anyone happens to find the rifle, they should call 911 and Calgary police will "have a car crew there immediately."