Three males are facing a combined 42 charges after a crime spree in central Alberta on Saturday night.

The offences, which include assaulting a police officer and robbery with a firearm, occurred over a six-hour period starting in Ponoka, RCMP said in a news release Monday.

At 6:30 p.m., Ponoka RCMP responded to a theft of three bottles of wine from a liquor store.

At 6:45 p.m., officers responded to a vehicle theft at a northwest Ponoka home. The description of the suspects matched those of the liquor store theft.

At 7:30 p.m., RCMP were alerted to a theft at a liquor store in Crestomere where a firearm was pointed at an employee.

At 8 p.m., Rimbey RCMP responded to an attempted vehicle theft, and found a vehicle matching the original stolen vehicle. During a pursuit, the vehicle hit the ditch and got stuck. Police arrested two 18-year-old males but a third suspect, a 16-year-old male youth, got away. Moments later, a vehicle from a nearby property was reported stolen.

Just before 12 a.m., RCMP were called to a single-vehicle collision on Highway 2A. Wetaskiwin RCMP arrived on-scene just as the suspect was pulling a female from the vehicle. During the arrest, an officer was assaulted.

The 18-year-olds, both from Maskwacis, face between them 19 charges, including flight from police and possession of stolen property. They're scheduled to be in court Tuesday.

The 16-year-old faces 23 charges, including resisting arrest and possession of property obtained by crime. He is expected in court Wednesday.