Rural property owner charged with shooting at accused thieves

WINNIPEG — A homeowner in southern Manitoba has been charged after he fired shots at a group of people accused of stealing from his property, police say.

Officers were sent to the rural municipality of Dufferin Saturday after a report of a theft in progress. RCMP said four people went to the property, located about 180 kilometres southeast of Brandon, and returned later the same day driving two vehicles stolen from Watrous, Sask.

The owner of the property, a 66-year-old man, saw the suspects on a motion-activated camera and saw someone transferring fuel from a portable container into one of the stolen vehicles. The man confronted the group and fired shots toward the vehicles, police said.

Three people stayed at the scene until officers arrived and took them into custody, RCMP said. Various items believed to have been stolen from the property were found in the back of a truck. A fourth suspect fled in the other vehicle.

The property owner was also arrested at the scene and faces six charges.

Premier Wab Kinew said he agreed with those charges.

“We can’t have people being judge, jury and executioner, allegedly,” he said Tuesday afternoon. “Though I understand the frustration with crime, (I) absolutely support law enforcement. Let’s not make their job more difficult by making the reaction more complicated.”

Manitoba’s Progressive Conservatives have called on Ottawa to amend the Criminal Code, seeking clearer legal protection for Canadians who use reasonable force to defend themselves or their homes from intruders.

Borderland MLA Josh Guenter presented a private member resolution in the legislature in October 2025, but the NDP did not support it. He renewed the resolution and it is on the fall session’s order paper.

“Are Manitobans expected to just sit there and and take it and watch the things they’ve worked their life for destroyed by rampaging criminals? Are they supposed to endure and just abide by threats to their family, their loved ones or their own life? I mean that’s fundamentally wrong,” he said. “Give the (man) a medal.”

Under Section 34 of the Criminal Code, Canadians have the right to defend themselves, but must use reasonable — and not excessive — force. The law lays out nine tests for what can be considered reasonableness in an act of self-defence, which Guenter wants to limit to two: whether the suspect is illegally entering a home and if they pose a threat.

RCMP said Canadians may take steps to protect themselves or their property, but any force used must be reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances.

“Generally speaking, property owners should prioritize their own safety during these situations and call police rather than confront intruders themselves. We recognize that having someone enter your property and steal belongings is a serious criminal offence that can have a lasting impact. However, intervening directly can create significant risks to all involved. Again, we urge everyone to move to a safe location and call police,” an RCMP spokesperson said in an email.

A 29-year-old from the RM of Hanover, a 47-year-old from the RM of Emerson-Franklin and a 41-year-old woman from the RM of Emerson-Franklin were charged with numerous theft, trespassing and mischief offences. The younger man was also charged with possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose. The two men were remanded into custody. The woman was released on an undertaking.

The fourth suspect fled in the other vehicle, which was located the next morning in a field a few kilometres away. The RCMP spokesperson said the investigation into the fourth suspect is ongoing.

The homeowner was charged with careless use of a firearm, using a firearm in the commission of an offence and discharging a firearm in a reckless manner. He was released on an undertaking.

» Winnipeg Free Press