Getaway plan fails for stolen van & boat suspects

Two suspects were arrested in West Kelowna after allegedly using a stolen van to tow a stolen boat through the area.

“On August 7, 2019, shortly after 1 p.m., a keen Kelowna Mountie recognized a boat stolen out of the South Okanagan, being towed by a full sized passenger van out of downtown Kelowna area across the William R. Bennett bridge into West Kelowna. A coordinated response by the Kelowna and West Kelowna RCMP led to a pair of arrests made and the ultimate recovery of the white 24 foot Searay vessel taken from Summerland, being towed by a full sized Ford E350 passenger van stolen out of the Kelowna area,” said Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey.

The driver of the stolen van refused to stop for police and continued down Westside Road after crossing the bridge over Okanagan Lake.

The van was located, a short time later, stopped in the middle of Lindley Road where officers took a man into custody without incident.

“Police set up an area of containment and brought in specialized resources, including a fixed wing RCMP air craft and a police canine team, to conduct a search for the second outstanding vehicle occupant who fled on foot. The search of the lake front area, with many families out enjoying the beach in the extreme heat was challenging for the police dog,” added O’Donaghey.

An observant area resident helped police later locate and arrest the second suspect hidden underneath an inflatable boat in the immediate area.

The suspects, 33 and a 39-year-old men from Kelowna, face potential criminal charges.