B.C. offender arrested after arriving for probation meeting in stolen truck

Police say thieves used a screwdriver in the ignition to start the truck. (Handout)

A young offender in British Columbia has been arrested after arriving at his probation appointment in a stolen vehicle, Mounties say.

The RCMP’s Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team (IMPACT) was conducting surveillance on the stolen Ford F-350 pickup truck in Surrey on June 4 when officers saw the offender exit a residence and get into the truck’s passenger seat, the agency said in a news release Wednesday.

The surveillance team then followed the truck, which had been stolen in Coquitlam on May 31, to the offender’s scheduled meeting with his probation officer.

“While the known offender checked in, the driver circled the area around the probation office,” police said.

“Once the offender returned to the truck, the vehicle continued its way toward Abbotsford.”

The officers stopped the vehicle, which was allegedly driving “carelessly,” and arrested both occupants without incident in Abbotsford, police said.

“This operation highlights how co-ordinated surveillance and strong partnership directly support community safety,” Sgt. Ben Bruneau said in a statement.

“By tracking the stolen vehicle across multiple jurisdictions, our team was able to intervene safely and prevent further risk to the public.”

Investigators have recommended charges against both individuals, police said.