Police dog catches up with suspected North Okanagan truck thief

A 33-year-old man was arrested yesterday after he fled into the woods after police used a spike belt to stop a stolen pickup truck he was driving.

According to a Vernon North Okanagan RCMP media release, police were alerted to the Six Mile Creek Road area at around 8 a.m. yesterday, Nov. 18, following reports of a stolen pickup truck.

Police spotted the pickup driving in the area which then attempted to flee from police. A spike belt was used on the truck which continued to drive for a while before the driver abandoned the vehicle and fled into the woods.

The suspect was then tracked by police with the help of a police dog and the suspect arrested without incident a while later.

"Our officers did an outstanding job to track down the suspect," Sgt. Justin Thiessen said in the release.

The RCMP is recommending charges of possession of stolen property obtained by crime and breach of a probation order for the unidentified 33-year-old man arrested.

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