RCMP charge male after recovering stolen off-road vehicle

January 21, 2026 - RM of Yellowhead, Manitoba
From: Manitoba RCMP

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On Jan. 19, at 9:30 a.m., RCMP executed a search warrant at a property in the Rural Municipality of Harrison Park as part of an investigation into a missing off-road side-by-side stolen earlier this month.

The warrant was executed by the RCMP West District’s Crime Reduction Enforcement Support Team (CREST), with assistance from Yellowhead RCMP and Police Dog Services. The missing side-by-side – reported stolen from a business in the RM of Oakview on Jan. 11 – was recovered.

At 11 a.m. that day, officers went to a second property owned by the suspect, who was also wanted on several warrants. Upon arrival, a male was observed coming out of a garage on the property but quickly went back in when he saw police. When officers surrounded the garage, fresh foot tracks were observed that revealed the suspect had exited the rear of the garage, gone into a forested area on the property and was hiding behind an old shed.

Marook, a police service dog, was deployed to assist after attempts to call out to the suspect were not responded to. The suspect was then seen trying to go into the shed, at which point he was told he was under arrest and taken into custody.

Dean Purdy, 41, of Shoal Lake, has been charged with possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000. Police also executed several arrest warrants for non-compliance with a conditional sentence order. He was remanded into custody.

CREST and Yellowhead RCMP continue to investigate.