In a bizarre incident that has left local residents stunned, an Alberta man faces serious charges after allegedly using a stolen trackhoe excavator to deliberately damage five RCMP vehicles in what authorities describe as a “targeted attack” on law enforcement.
The dramatic episode unfolded in the early hours of Thursday morning in Sundre, a quiet community approximately 100 kilometers northwest of Calgary. According to RCMP officials, officers responded to reports of heavy machinery being operated suspiciously near their detachment around 3:15 a.m.
“The suspect appeared to be deliberately targeting police vehicles with the excavator’s bucket, causing catastrophic damage to five marked cruisers,” said Staff Sergeant Trevor Sheppard in a statement released Friday. “This represents not only a significant financial loss but also temporarily reduces our operational capacity in the region.”
Preliminary damage estimates exceed $500,000, with several vehicles described as “completely destroyed” beyond repair. The trackhoe itself had been stolen earlier that night from a construction site approximately two kilometers from the RCMP facility, investigators confirmed.
When officers arrived on scene, the suspect allegedly attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended after a brief pursuit. Police sources indicate the man was known to law enforcement, having had multiple previous interactions with the detachment.
Travis Henderson, 42, of Red Deer County, now faces multiple charges including theft over $5,000, mischief over $5,000, break and enter, possession of stolen property, and assault on a peace officer. Court records show Henderson has a history of property crimes in central Alberta dating back several years.
Local resident Marjorie Sampson witnessed part of the incident from her home across from the detachment. “I heard this tremendous crash and looked out to see this huge machine just crushing a police car like it was nothing,” she told CO24. “It was like something out of a movie—absolutely terrifying.”
The incident has raised concerns about security at RCMP detachments across rural Alberta, with the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police calling for a review of current protocols. This comes at a time when many rural communities are already dealing with stretched police resources and increased response times.
Henderson remains in custody awaiting a bail hearing scheduled for early next week. If convicted on all charges, he could face up to 14 years in prison under the Criminal Code of Canada.
As the community processes this unusual crime, many residents are left wondering: in an era of increasing tensions between some citizens and law enforcement, what does this targeted destruction of police resources reveal about the challenges facing rural policing in Canada today?
