FILE PHOTO

(KIM ANDERSON / iNFOnews.ca)

Two Kamloops residents are cooling their heels in a Hope jail cell after a crime spree that began last night in the Shuswap.

It all started when a black Dodge Challenger was stolen from Chase yesterday evening, Nov. 13, according to an RCMP media release. Then at 12:40 a.m. today, officers were called to an armed robberies at a businesses in the 1800 block of the Trans-Canada Highway and another on Rogers Way.

RCMP don’t identify the two businesses.

By the time police arrived, the suspects were gone.

 “As part of the investigation, the Kamloops RCMP Detachment quickly connected with our neighbouring RCMP detachment in Merritt, whose officers were able to re-establish the vehicle’s location as it entered into their jurisdiction, and fled from police there,” Kamloops top cop Supt. Jeff Kelley said in the release.

Heavily-armed officers from emergency response teams from the Southeast District and Lower Mainland, along with dog units were called in for support.

After the suspect vehicle arrived in Hope, police got calls about someone with a weapon smashing car window, attempted break-ins and two car jacking attempts.

One of the car jacking attempts involved a police officer in an unmarked vehicle.

While all this was happening, the nearby hospital in Hope was place on lockdown.

The two suspects were arrested within minutes of each other, one was in a tree and the other had broken into a care home resident’s room and was asleep.

"Last night’s crime spree that started in Kamloops and continued into Hope, came to a quick end and we can focus on the ongoing investigations to support the charges recommended for consideration and approval,” Supt. Pelley said.

The two suspects, Kamloops residents, are in custody awaiting a court appearance.

Anyone with information related to the crime spree and chase, including video or dash camera footage, is asked to contact the Kamloops RCMPat 250-828-3000 and reference file 2023-40560.

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