Truck thief chased down and caught by owner in Lake Country
A stolen truck owner saw someone driving their vehicle in Kelowna, and decided to get into a high speed chase with the suspected thief.
A 2011 Ford F-350 was stolen from a home in the 900-block of Paret Road in Kelowna between midnight and 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 6, according to a press release from RCMP.
The truck owner spotted their F-350 in the Carrs Landing area of Lake Country at around 5:30 p.m. and decided to chase the driver at high speeds.
Lake Country RCMP received several calls about the chase reporting that the suspect was driving dangerously, and crashing into other cars causing significant damage.
When officers arrived on the scene at Commonwealth Drive and Highway 97 they found the stolen truck abandoned, and the suspect apprehended by the vehicle owner and some other people.
“This was an exceptionally dangerous situation and it is very fortunate that no one was injured, including innocent bystanders, the witnesses or the suspect. The RCMP take property crime very seriously however, the public safety of individuals is paramount and far supersedes the recovery of stolen property,” Cpl. Ryder Birtwistle with Lake Country RCMP said in the release.
The suspect is known to police and has been charged with a number of crimes including driving offences and possession of stolen property. The suspect is still in custody.
“We remind the public that if you see a crime in progress, report it to police immediately and provide as much detail as possible including suspect description and the direction of travel. The RCMP have specialized resources available including the use of air services and covert vehicles to safely locate and apprehend individuals in similar situations,” Birtwistle said.
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