A Winnipeg man is facing eight charges in a series of incidents related to the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority’s Street Connections van, which was reported stolen over the weekend.
Manitoba RCMP say the vehicle went missing on Saturday, and later that day officers were called to the RM of Springfield about a man trying to break into an empty house.
Although the suspect took off before police arrived, police say they later tracked him down to a location in the RM of St. Clements and boxed him in with their vehicles. Police said the man tried to escape by ramming two RCMP cruisers with the stolen van, but it got stuck in the snow.
The 28-year-old was arrested after officers had to break a window to get him out of the van, and a small amount of meth was found on him. A further search of the van turned up a treasure trove of stolen items, police said, including power tools, purses, wallets and more.
The man remains in custody and faces two counts of breaking and entering with intent, two charges of mischief, as well as assaulting a peace officer with a weapon, failing to comply, resisting arrest, and possessing property obtained by crime.