Intruders broke into remote lodge near Manitoba-Nunavut border, hunted caribou over winter months: RCMP

Police and Manitoba's conservation service are investigating after RCMP say intruders broke into cabins on a remote lodge in northern Manitoba and hunted caribou there during the winter months.

RCMP were notified early on the morning of April 14 that a break-in had been discovered at a privately owned fly-in lodge near Nueltin Lake that's about 30 kilometres south of the Manitoba-Nunavut border.

The owner of the lodge said a number of cottages on the property had been broken into and many were considerably damaged, RCMP said in a Wednesday news release.

The intruders appear to have camped out on the property during the winter months and hunted caribou there, police say.

Police suspect a fairly large group was involved in the break-ins, Manitoba RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Paul Manaigre told CBC News, adding that it will likely be a difficult investigation.

Nick Scigliano, the U.S.-based owner of site, said he can't comment on the incident because it's under investigation, but that more information is expected to be available soon.

Brandon Dulewich, mayor of the northern Manitoba town of Lynn Lake — from which many people fly to northern lodges — said he was unaware of the incident, but told CBC News that the lodge that was broken into hasn't been operating for a number of years.

Mounties and Manitoba conservation officers flew up to the lodge to examine the site last week. RCMP say they are investigating the damaged property, while the provincial conservation service will investigate the caribou hunting.

There are no caribou hunting seasons scheduled in Manitoba this spring, according to the province's supplemental hunting guide.

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