Suspected Kelowna, B.C. car thief smashes into pole, police trucks before arrest

A suspected Kelowna, B.C., car thief left smashed police trucks and a pole in his failed getaway from Mounties, RCMP says.

Early Tuesday morning an RCMP officer located a white Toyota 4Runner on Dease Road in Kelowna that had been reported stolen just hours earlier, but it wasn’t until the suspected thief ran into a pole and some police trucks that he was apprehended.

In a press release, RCMP said the officer discreetly followed the vehicle from a safe distance, alerting other officers within the area to help track the 4Runner.

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“After the driver turned onto Enterprise Way he collided with a light post at Commerce Avenue but continued to drive,” RCMP said in a release.

“Officers tracked the stolen vehicle on several different streets before it turned onto Fife Road, which is a dead-end. Police Dog Service vehicles moved in quickly and engaged their emergency equipment.”

The driver of the stolen vehicle rammed into the police trucks then fled on foot. A police dog was deployed, the suspect was tracked and taken into custody.

“This individual is well-known to police,” Sgt. Kevin Duggan said in a release.

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“He showed a disturbing lack of regard for our officers and the safety of the public. It was a complete team effort, from the officer who initially spotted the stolen vehicle to the officers who made the arrest of this suspect.”

Anyone who witnessed this incident and has dash camera footage or home video security of the white Toyota 4Runner is asked to contact Kelowna RCMP at 250-762-3300 and reference the file number 2023-9698.