Saanich Police are investigating the overnight recovery of three stolen vehicles and have arrested an 18 yr old male and a 14 yr old female. Several other suspects fled on foot and have not been identified.
Shortly after 11 p.m. witnesses reported that suspicious youths were using a screwdriver to start an older-model minivan in the 700 block of Viaduct Ave in the Royal Oak area. Two separate minivans then left the area at a high rate of speed.
Upon arrival in the area police located the two stolen Plymouth Voyageur minivans surrounded by a group of five or more youths. The entire group fled on foot through neighbouring yards.
A Saanich K9 officer and his dog immediately apprehended a 14 year old girl in one of the nearby yards. Other officers arrested an 18 yr old male who also had outstanding warrants for his arrest from West Shore RCMP and Trail RCMP.
Several other overnight theft-related incidents in the Royal Oak area are still under investigation. These include thefts from other vehicles and property being stolen from within an open garage at a home on Viewmont Avenue.
Just over two hours later at 1:30 a.m. the Saanich K9 officer was still on patrol in the area and he located a stolen Subaru SUV in a nearby parking lot. There were no occupants. It had been stolen from a nearby home in the 4200 block of Burbank Crescent.
Police are seeking the public’s assistance to identify the other youths who were involved in this series of vehicle thefts and other thefts of property in the Royal Oak area.
11-20319