New Westminster police arrested two suspects on Tuesday for allegedly stealing a vehicle in Burnaby the day before.
According to police, at around 11:10 a.m. on July 16 a New Westminster patrol officer spotted a stolen GMC Jimmy truck parked in the 400-block of Columbia St. In the passenger seat of the vehicle was a woman.
The patrol officer called for assistance to keep watch on the truck in case the driver returned. Officers from New Westminster's street crime unit arrived on the scene in plainclothes and a short while after Air 1, the regional police helicopter, was also dispatched, according to a press release.
As officers were watching the vehicle the driver returned and proceeded to drive away. Air 1 continued its surveillance of the stolen vehicle as it made its way through New West and into Burnaby. It eventually stopped, parking in the 7400-block of Southwynde Ave. and that's when officers made their move.
Police moved in and arrested both occupants of the truck, who were taken into custody without incident, according to the release.
The 29-year-old driver, a man from Surrey, was held in custody overnight until his court appearance this morning in New Westminster.
"When dealing with stolen vehicles, police officers must constantly weigh the need to apprehend the suspects against the risk presented to the public. Auto theft suspects will often try to avoid apprehension by engaging in vehicle pursuits when they see uniform police officers or marked police vehicles," said Staff Sgt. Paul Hyland in the release. "These pursuits can be extremely hazardous and place the public, the police and the suspects at increased risk for serious injury."
