The Ashcroft RCMP detachment, as well as other detachments across the region, found itself caught up in an alleged crime spree on Saturday, November 19.
Shortly after 8 a.m. on November 18, Merritt RCMP were called to a local gas station after a male and female had allegedly attempted to purchase items using a stolen credit card. The pair departed in an Audi before police arrived, and without the items they were attempting to buy.
At 11 a.m. the same day, police in Logan Lake were called to a similar incident that had occurred around 9 a.m. A male and female were attempting to pay for items with a stolen credit card, and departed in a late model Audi with almost $200 in unpaid goods and gas.
At 6:30 p.m. that evening, the Audi was spotted on Highway 5 by Logan Lake RCMP. Police attempted to stop the vehicle but it allegedly sped away towards Hope, reaching speeds of over 200 km/hr.
On Saturday, November 19 an RCMP officer in Merritt spotted the vehicle just after 3 p.m. and attempted to stop it, but it fled towards Kamloops. The Audi was later spotted on Highway 97D heading toward Logan Lake, and was followed by police after leaving a gas station. Attempts were made to stop it as it headed toward Ashcroft on Highway 97C, but these attempts failed.
A roadblock was temporarily set up in Ashcroft at the bridge in an attempt to capture the suspects. At approximately 5:15 on November 19, a police dog service officer spotted the Audi leaving Ashcroft and followed it back to Logan Lake.
A final vehicle stop was put in place, but not before local detachments worked together to contain the Audi and mitigate risk to the public.
The vehicle stop resulted in the arrest of a 29-year-old female and a 28-year-old male, both of Chilliwack. The female was released from custody, and is expected to appear in court in March 2017.
The male remains in custody, and appeared in court this week. Both will face a variety of criminal charges, including theft, fraud, dangerous driving, and failure to stop for police.
“This file spanned detachments from Hope to Logan Lake, over a two day period, and ended with the arrest of two individuals,” says Chief Superintendent Brad Haugli, the southeast RCMP district commander. “It really illustrates how very connected the entire southeast district RCMP are.”