Five years for brazen car thief

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This article was published 01/09/2010 (5761 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Matthew Martens didn’t care who was in his way as he tried to flee police, driving a stolen car up to 200 kilometres an hour into oncoming highway traffic while trying to dodge a spike belt.

That’s why justice officials fear what the future holds for the notorious Winnipeg car thief, who was sentenced Tuesday to the equivalent of five years behind bars.

“This is a young man who’s going to come back into society. Frankly, that’s a scary proposition at this point,” Crown attorney Liz Laite told court.

Martens, 19, pleaded guilty to 33 separate offences stemming from a brazen, cross-country crime spree that put numerous lives at risk and left a trail of damage in its wake. He admitted spending an entire month wreaking havoc across the Prairies by stealing vehicles, gas and property — and documenting many of the crimes through photographs and videos taken by his 16-year-old girlfriend.

The images show the couple — whom some justice officials have dubbed “Bonnie and Clyde” — taunting police, drinking and driving, boasting to their friends and celebrating their accomplishments by dancing and making out on the top of stolen vehicles.

“This is not a movie. This is Mr. Martens doing what he does best,” said Laite.

The August to September 2009 rampage resulted in multiple counts of auto theft and mischief, plus possession of stolen property and dangerous driving stemming from several high-speed chases with police in Manitoba and Saskatchewan that had to be aborted because of the risk to the public.

“The danger to everyone on the road is almost incomprehensible,” said Laite. “There is nothing redeeming about his criminality.”

Martens — who has no prior adult convictions — was given double-time credit for 12 months of time already spent in custody, plus another three years behind bars, under a joint recommendation from Crown and defence lawyers. Laite said a trial would have been an “enormous” undertaking because of how many different charges and jurisdictions were involved.

Provincial court Judge Ted Lismer agreed to the plea bargain and handed down what he conceded was “a very lenient disposition.”

The female accused — who can’t be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act — pleaded guilty to 21 separate crimes and is currently awaiting sentencing. The Crown is seeking the maximum youth sentence of two years behind bars for the girl, who has a long history of similar property offences and was on probation at the time. Her lawyer is asking for her to be released immediately with time in custody. Provincial court Judge Rocky Pollack is expected to give his decision this month.

At her sentencing hearing, her lawyer claimed Martens had “manipulated” her into going along for the ride. Some of the “highlights” of their crimes included burning a Hummer they stole just outside Winnipeg, nearly mowing down a vehicle owner who tried to interrupt a theft in eastern Saskatchewan and scrawling lyrics to a crude “rap song” over the interior of another car they left behind to be found by police.

www.mikeoncrime.com