On Saturday, Feb. 6, at 4:24 a.m., the West Kelowna RCMP received a report of a break-in and theft of two snowmobiles, valued at nearly $30,000, from inside a storage shed belonging to a ski club located on the 4400 block of Glenrosa Road.
Staff members followed fresh tracks in the snow from the ski club, for approximately five kilometers down Glenrosa Road and onto a forest service road, which led to the discovery of both of their stolen recreational vehicles. The staff members observed three suspects in possession of the stolen snowmobiles, who fled the area on foot.
On their attendance police located a white Ford F-350 pickup truck stuck in the snow at the entrance to the forest service road. It was confirmed that the truck had been stolen on Feb. 4 from an address on Rosealee Lane in West Kelowna. A short time later a vigilant resident of the 3600 block of Glenrosa Road, who noticed police officers searching the area, reported a suspicious man on her property.
Officers located the first suspect, a 34-year-old West Kelowna man, on Carre Road walking away from the scene. He was known to police and wanted on outstanding unrelated warrants for his arrest. He was also found in possession of illegal drugs, and therefore also determined to be in breach of his probation.
“One of ourpolice service dogs, PSD Ice, was able to confirm that the first suspect's tracks led directly back to the stolen snow machines,” said Const. Jesse O’Donaghey. “A second and third set of tracks in the snow were followed by PSD Ice from the stolen snow mobiles in the opposite direction.”
“Our officers located and arrested the remaining two suspects, a 36-year-old West Kelowna man, and a 37-year-old West Kelowna woman,” said O’Donaghey. “These suspects had been wandering around the isolated forested area for several hours, they were not dressed appropriately for the weather conditions and police believe they were lost and in need of rescuing.”
Investigators also determined that the man was bound by conditions of no contact with the woman. He was also arrested for breaching an undertaking.
“The West Kelowna RCMP would like to thank the members of the public who were diligent in reporting the suspicious activity to police which led to the arrest of the one male,” O’Donaghey said.
All three suspects are facing potential criminal charges including possession of stolen property over $5,000, theft over $5,000, possession of a controlled substance, possession of break-in instruments as well as breach of a probation order and breach of an undertaking.
All were remanded into police custody over the weekend and appeared in court on Feb. 9.