Proactive policing results in seizure of stolen loaded sawed-off shotgun

It was a case of being in the right place at the right time for members of the Merritt RCMP last week.

In the early morning hours of Sept. 4,  front line officers observed a man riding a bicycle down the sidewalk without a helmet in the area of Nicola Avenue and Margaret Street.

Officers stopped the individual and identified him as Aaron England, a well-known high-risk offender.

During the interaction officers conducted a cursory search of England for safety and located a loaded sawed-off shotgun and suspected illicit drugs on his person.

England was arrested and transported back to the Merritt RCMP Detachment where he was held in custody pending a court appearance. He was subsequently charged with carrying a concealed weapon and possession of a loaded firearm without a license.

Following his court appearance, England was released on conditions, including a curfew and not to possess weapons or illicit drugs.

“This case highlights the ongoing challenges police officers face when dealing with repeat and high-risk offenders,” says S/Sgt. Joshua Roda. “While our officers remain committed to protecting the community, incidents like this demonstrate the reality that individuals charged with serious offences are often release back into the community on court-imposed conditions.”

Investigators have confirmed the shotgun was one of the stolen firearms from the Merritt Canadian Tire break and enter that occurred in June 2026.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of any of the remaining stolen firearms is asked to call the Merritt RCMP at 250-378-4262 or Crimestoppers.