2 'prolific offenders' caught within 3 hours of each other in stolen vehicles in Surrey

Two individuals Surrey RCMP described as ‘prolific offenders’ were caught within three hours of each other, driving in separate stolen vehicles.

According to police, Auto Crime Target Team (ACTT) officers were making active patrols in the Fleetwood area on January 14 around 9:45 am, when they found a white BMW X1 SUV that was reported stolen on January 11.

ACTT officers along with officers from the Property Crime Target Team (PCTT) attended the area and “continued observations” of the BMW until it began to drive away, at which point officers followed the BMW until the SUV came to a stop.

When the male driver of the BMW – the lone occupant – exited the vehicle and began to walk away, officers “quickly engaged” the driver, who was taken into custody without incident.

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Later that day, around 12:45 pm, officers with ACTT were making active patrols in the City Centre area and located a white Dodge Ram pick-up truck that had been reported stolen earlier in the day.

ACTT again continued observations of the Ram until it began to drive away. Officers followed the Ram until the truck came to a stop. When the male driver – who was also the lone occupant in the vehicle – exited the vehicle, he retrieved a bicycle from the box of the truck and began to pedal away.

Once again, ACTT officers quickly engaged the suspect who then fled on the bicycle when he subsequently crashed attempting to ride over a set of railway tracks. At that point, the suspect, who suffered minor injuries from the accident was taken into custody without further incident.

Now, 25-year-old Surrey resident Shane Rosteski has been charged in connection with the first incident and is facing:

• One count of Possessing Stolen Property;
• One count of Failing to Comply with a Conditional Sentence Order;
• Two counts of Possessing Stolen or Forged Credit Card Data;
• Three counts of Driving while Prohibited

In the second incident, 56-year-old Surrey resident David Traill has been charged with:

• One count of Possessing Stolen Property;
• One count of Dangerous Operation of a Conveyance;
• One count of Possessing Instruments for the Purpose of Break & Entering;
• One count of Obstruction of a Peace Officer;
• One count of Driving while Prohibited

“Property crime, including auto theft, continues to be a priority for our detachment and has seen a downward trend across the city the last few years,” said Surrey RCMP Staff Sgt. Mike Hall. “Our overt and covert officers regularly patrol our streets gathering intelligence and strategically targeting known prolific criminals.”