Suspected truck thief arrested, three vehicles recovered

RCMP are reminding the public about the consequences of leaving vehicles running and unsecure to warm them up.

Two vehicles in that situation were stolen over the last few days in the Kelowna area, with three vehicles recovered by police on the evening of Dec. 15 and the morning of the 16 by the Proactive Enforcement Unit (PEU), Police Dog Services (PDS) and general duty officers.

Just after midnight on Dec. 16, PEU members conducting proactive patrols located a Ford F350 that had been reported stolen a few hours before from the Kelowna Airport long term parking lot. Officers were able to arrest the driver safely in the area of Elliott Avenue in Kelowna.

It was subsequently determined that the F350 had collided with a parked vehicle a short distance away causing extensive damage to both vehicles and fled the scene. A 27-year-old male from Nanaimo, appeared in court on Dec. 16 and has been charged with possession of stolen property over $5000, failure to stop at the scene of an accident, possession of break-in instruments, breach of release order and driving while prohibited.

The man also had three outstanding warrants from various jurisdictions in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island. The suspect is being held in custody with a court appearance scheduled for Dec. 20.

On Dec, 15, officers located an abandoned GMC Sierra parked in an alley in the area of the Kelowna General Hospital. The licence plate didn’t match the vehicle which was subsequently found to have been stolen from the Rutland area earlier that morning while it was left unattended and running in the owner’s driveway. The investigation into the theft is ongoing.

Earlier in the evening, PEU members located a vehicle with no plates parked behind an apartment complex on Pandosy Street. The Nissan Maxima matched a vehicle reported stolen on Dec. 7 from West Kelowna after it was left running at a commercial building. The vehicle was confirmed as a stolen Maxima and subsequently recovered and returned to its owner.

“The Kelowna detachment has made countering property crime a top priority. All levels including patrol officers as well as specialized units are focused on reducing this type of crime,” Cpl. Guillaume Tanguay of the Kelowna RCMP Prolific Offenders Unit said.

The corporal said stolen vehicles are usually used in the commission of further property crime offences.