A Gordon Head homeowner was startled to wake up shortly after 4 a.m. today (Friday, June 30th) to hear his Chev Blazer start up, only to then watch it being driven away by a stranger.
The 20 year old truck owner immediately called Saanich Police from his home in the 4300 block of Torquay Drive. He told police that he last saw his truck heading in the direction of Ash Road.
One of the responding patrol officers drove onto Ash Road from the Mount Doug Park end. He quickly spotted the stolen truck in the ditch, at the corner of Ash Road and Durling Place, where it had collided with a fence and with the support cable for a telephone pole.
The intoxicated male suspect exited from the passenger side of the stolen truck. He was initially combative and did not comply with police directions. After a short struggle, the man was arrested just as other officers arrived on the scene.
The 20 year old man has a limited criminal record, but he is already prohibited from driving Canada-wide, due to a previous conviction for impaired driving.
He was held in Saanich Police custody until sober, later in the day. It is expected that he will appear in Victoria Provincial Court in early August, charged with the truck theft and a number of driving offences.
File No. 14-12202
Staff Sgt. Scott Treble – Saanich Police