RCMP arrested two Kelowna men near Whitetail Road east of Osoyoos today. (RCMP photo)
Two alleged thieves have been arrested after RCMP from Osoyoos and Midway and Air Services joined forces on Anarchist Mountain today.
Osoyoos RCMP received a report of a suspicious Ford F350 towing a flat deck trailer loaded with an industrial generator on Whitetail Road, 15 kilometres east of Osoyoos, Sgt. Jason Bayda said.
“The descriptors of the truck and trailer matched ones that were reported stolen out of Kelowna on June 14 and the generator matched one that was reported stolen this morning out of Kelowna,” Bayda said.
RCMP from Midway and Osoyoos set up a spike belt at the intersection of Whitetail Road and Highway 3.
An RCMP helicopter was dispatched from Kelowna and assisted from the air.
Officers attempted to stop the truck and two male occupants as they tried to depart Whitetail Road.
“Although blocked in by two RCMP vehicles, the driver of the truck drove around both police cars and through a ditch before driving over two spike belts and fleeing west on Highway 3,” Bayda said.
The truck and occupants lost control and went off road approximately two kilometres west of Whitetail Road after all tires on the truck and trailer deflated.
“Both males, 30 and 35 years old from Kelowna, had nowhere to hide as the RCMP helicopter hovered over them,” Bayda said.
Both men were arrested without incident and face charges of possession of stolen property, flight from police and dangerous driving. The 30-year-old was also wanted on a warrant out of Vancouver Island for possession of stolen property.
The coordinated efforts of the Osoyoos RCMP, Midway RCMP and Air Services resulted in the quick arrests, Bayda said.
“The Osoyoos RCMP would like to thank those civilians travelling on Highway 3 that stopped and stayed back while this dynamic situation unfolded and until both males were taken into custody.”
