Kelowna

Photo: RCMP

Although police had been looking for a stolen vehicle earlier in the day, it was an abandoned 9-1-1 call last night that lead them to the recovery.

On November 21, 2012 at 10 a.m., the Kelowna RCMP received reports of erratic driving on Water Street at Lawrence Avenue. Apparently, a white Ford Explorer bearing a Saskatchewan plate stopped in the middle of the road while some sort of altercation ensued inside the vehicle. The driver sped off, southbound on Water Street, and was last seen headed towards West Kelowna. Records checks indicated that the licence plate was stolen. Police searched for the vehicle with negative results.

Later, at 7:20 p.m., the Kelowna RCMP received an abandoned 9-1-1 call from a residence on the 4800 block of Canyon Ridge Crescent. When police arrived, they spoke with a man and confirmed no one was in need of emergency services.

The officer then noticed a white Ford Explorer with Saskatchewan plates; the same vehicle that police had received complaints about earlier that day. Police records checks confirmed the stolen plates, but also that the vehicle had been stolen from a dealership in Rosetown, Saskatchewan in October.

The RCMP member returned to the residence to speak with the man about the vehicle, but found that he had fled on foot. A police service dog tracked the suspect to a wooded area where the man was taken into custody.

A 33-year-old Saskatoon man faces multiple potential charges of possession of stolen property. He is expected to attend Court later today.