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Man caught paddling stolen canoe, flees on foot: Victoria police

Victoria police recovered the canoe and returned it to the owner. (VicPD) Victoria police recovered the canoe and returned it to the owner. (VicPD)
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Victoria -

Victoria police made an unusual traffic stop Monday, pulling over a man paddling a suspected stolen canoe in the city’s Gorge Waterway.

Patrol officers received a report Saturday of a stolen canoe that was seen tied to a sailboat in the Gorge.

The owner of the canoe told police he had owned the canoe since the 1980s and had circumnavigated both Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii in the boat, which has great sentimental value to the owner.

Police attended the area but the canoe was gone.

On Monday, police received a report that the canoe was back. Officers joined a Coast Guard vessel to patrol the Gorge and found a man paddling the canoe.

Police told the man he was under arrest for possession of stolen property.

“However, the suspect paddled ashore and fled the area on foot,” Victoria police said in a statement Wednesday.

Officers recovered the canoe and returned it to the owner.

Police say they have identified a suspect in the theft and will be seeking a warrant for his arrest.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Victoria police at 250-995-7654 or Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

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