Red Deer man killed trying to stop thieves from stealing his truck

A young Albertaman was killed trying to stop two thieves from driving off withhis truck, Red Deer police said as they asked the public for help tracking down the culprits.

Officers found Dawson Wegner Cramer,23, seriously injured in an alley behind Nordegg Crescent just before 5 a.m. Wednesday after he attempted to intervene as two men made off with his 2001 Ford F650.

Cramer, also known as D.J.,was rushed to hospital, where he died.

The two suspects fled the scene in the large white truck and abandoned it a short distance away, where awitness saw the men run into a wooded area, police say.

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Members of the public are urged to come forward if they saw a whitetruck being drivenerratically between4:50 a.m. and 5:50 a.m. Wednesday in the area of Nordegg Crescent, Nolan Street, Page Avenue, Gaetz Avenue or 76 Street in Red Deer.

Anyone with a video recording of the incidentis also asked to contact investigators.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at403-343-5575or Crime Stoppers anonymously at1-800-222-8477.

The Calgary RCMP'sMajor Crimes Unit is now leading the investigation.

Other Albertans killed while trying to stop thieves

It's not the first case of an Albertan being killed while trying to stop a thief fleeing in a truck.

In 2014,Adam Groves was killed trying to stop a man from taking his2006 Dodge Ram from his Rundle Park home inEdmonton.The suspect fled the scene but was later caught following a dramatic police chase.

And in 2015,Centex employee Maryam Rashidiwas killed in Calgary when she washit by a stolen truck while trying to stop a gas and dash at the station where she worked.

The suspect in that case was later caught, too, following a standoff at a Calgary home.

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