In the wake of several high-end electric bike thefts on the West Shore recently, Mounties are harnessing new technology to wrangle would-be thieves.
West Shore RCMP officers activated a GPS tracker on a bait bike and parked it in the area of the West Shore Town Centre on Wednesday.
Several police officers on bikes roamed the area nearby. Other officers tracking the bike from another location soon realized the bait bike was on the move.
"Police are using high-tech tools to capture property crime offenders in the West Shore, including deploying bait bikes and vehicles,” said West Shore RCMP Const. Alex Berube.
Police were able to locate the e-bike and make an arrest. Police say the suspect gave them a fake name, but after a fingerprint search they were able to identify the alleged thief.
Officers took 49-year-old Trevor Thurston into custody. Mounties say he has been charged with theft under $5,000, obstructing a peace officer and failure to comply with recognizance.
