Police in Kelowna say they recovered three stolen vehicles on Friday night.
RCMP members on patrol just after midnight on Dec. 16 found a Ford F350 that had been reported stolen a few hours prior from the Kelowna Airport long term parking lot.
Officers were able to arrest the driver safely in the area of Elliott Avenue in Kelowna.
“It was subsequently determined that the F350 had collided with a parked vehicle a short distance away causing extensive damage to both vehicles and fled the scene,” Kelowna RCMP said in a press release.
A 27-year-old man from Nanaimo has been charged with possession of stolen property over $5000, failure to stop at the scene of an accident, possession of break-in instruments, breach of release order and driving while prohibited.
The man also had three outstanding warrants from various jurisdictions in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.
Police say the man has been held in custody with a court appearance set for Tuesday.
Minutes after the arrest, RCMP located an abandoned GMC Sierra parked in an alley in the area of the Kelowna General Hospital.
Police say the licence plate didn’t match the vehicle which was subsequently found to have been stolen from the Rutland area earlier that morning while it was left unattended and running in the owner’s driveway. An investigation is ongoing.
Police also located a vehicle with no plates parked behind an apartment complex on Pandosy Street that same evening. The Nissan Maxima matched a vehicle reported stolen on Dec. 7 from West Kelowna after it was left running at a commercial building.
The vehicle was confirmed as stolen and was returned to its owner.
“The Kelowna detachment has made countering property crime a top priority. All levels including patrol officers as well as specialized units are focused on reducing this type of crime,” said Cpl. Guillaume Tanguay of the Kelowna RCMP prolific offenders unit.
“Stolen vehicles are usually used in the commission of further property crime offences.”
