Two suspects arrested after stealing vehicle from an off-duty firefighter
The RCMP has reported that two individuals have been taken into custody after stealing the vehicle of a good Samaritan, who stopped to help them after the two were involved in a collision.
The incident took place on the evening of Tuesday, May 8, 2018, when RCMP responded to reports of a traffic accident involving a transport truck and a Ford F350 pickup truck. The collision happened in on the TransCanada highway, approximately three kilometres west of Sicamous, BC.
According to witnesses, the pickup truck struck the trailer of the transport truck, forcing the pickup truck to roll into a ditch. A male and female quickly emerged from the vehicle and began asking drivers for a ride.
A number of resources arrived at the scene, including the BC Ambulance Services, the Eagle Valley Rescue, and an off-duty firefighter who had stopped to help. The male and female who were involved in the crash stole the firefighter’s vehicle – a Honda Civic – and proceeded to flee the scene.
The two suspects ended up abandoning the stolen Honda just south of Armstrong. An RCMP police dog and its handler managed to track the suspects from the vehicle to an abandoned house that was east of the highway.
Upon discovering the suspects, they both surrendered to the police immediately. The RCMP had also discovered that their initial vehicle, the Ford F350, was a reportedly stolen car from Calgary in April.
The 32-year-old man from Calgary and a 23-year-old woman from Manitoba were arrested at the scene and are currently in custody. Both are facing charges of possession of stolen property and theft of a motor vehicle.
The Calgarian man was wanted by the Kelowna RCMP and had two warrants for breach of probation and failing to appear.
Police and investigators are still looking into the matter.