UPDATE – The two arrested men have now been charged.
Walter Mitchell, 31, is accused of four offenses including dangerous driving and break-and-enter.
Heath Anderson, 38, is also charged with break-and-enter as well as possessing stolen property valued at over $5,000.
Both men remain in custody and return to court January 18th.
KELOWNA — Two men have been arrested and a stolen truck they used to commit multiple break and enters in Kelowna has been recovered.
It was shortly before 10 a.m. on Tuesday that Kelowna RCMP received a report of a truck stolen from the 200 block of Froelich Road.
“Shortly after 10:30 pm an officer spotted the stolen silver Dodge Ram 2500 pickup truck parked on Bolotzky Court,” said Cst. Jesse O’Donaghey in a press release.
The Kelowna RCMP Street Enforcement Unit was called in to help.
“Covert surveillance was conducted on the stolen truck which was then used by the two suspects to commit a break and enter to a business located in the 1900 block of Baron Road as well as attempt to commit a break and enter to a business in the 3600 block of Highway 97 North,” said O’Donaghey.
O’Donaghey says police tried to stop the stolen truck when it came back to Bolotzky Court but the vehicle didn’t stop for RCMP and avoided a spike belt before fleeing the area.
“Police continued to monitor the truck from a safe distance and observed as it was being driven in a dangerous manner westbound along Harvey Avenue in the eastbound lanes of the highway,” said O’Donaghey.
A spike belt was later deployed on Harvey Avenue near Spall Avenue which deflated three of the stolen truck’s tires, according to O’Donaghey.
Despite this, he says the suspect vehicle continued driving recklessly along the highway towards the Bennett bridge before eventually being stopped by mounties on Cadder Avenue east of Pandosy Street.
Three police cruisers were used to contain the suspect vehicle and prevent it from fleeing again and potentially putting the police and the public at further risk.
O’Donaghey says the two suspects were taken into custody without further incident.
“It was the joint effort of Kelowna RCMP general duty officers, police dog services, our municipal traffic section, and our Street Enforcement Units who brought this dangerous situation to a safe conclusion,” said O’Donaghey.
“No one was injured, and no vehicles belonging to the general public were damaged. However three police vehicles sustained minor damage as a result.”
A stolen Yamaha dirt bike was also recovered by police from the bed of the stolen truck. Investigators believe the dirt bike may have been taken during a third break-and-enter to a storage facility on the 3500 block of Alcan Road.
“The driver, a 31-year-old Kelowna man, and his passenger a 38-year-old Kelowna man, remain in police custody and face a multitude of charges including break-and-enter, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, flight from a police officer, and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle,” said O’Donaghey.
Both were expected to appear in court on Thursday.
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