On March 23 at 6:15 a.m., a complainant reported a company work truck stolen from the Elkview Mine site near Elkford.

The complainant contacted RCMP immediately and provided tracking information regarding the vehicle to police. RCMP officers were able to follow the vehicle at a safe distance to the Jaffray area, where – in cooperation with Cranbrook RCMP, a Police Dog Service (PDS) team and a drone – the vehicle was located abandoned with the two subjects fleeing the location on foot.

The PDS team tracked the two suspects to a narrow canyon where they were safely arrested, reported S/Sgt. Svend Nielsen, Elk Valley RCMP Detachment commander.

A number of articles, including drugs and bear spray, were seized or found along the trail of the two suspects leading away from the truck. After arrest, several other items linking the pair to the stolen vehicle were recovered in their possession, police said.

The vehicle has been safely turned over to the complainant.

The two suspects, a 20- year-old Caucasian male and a 19-year-old Caucasian female from southern Alberta, were brought back to Sparwood for lodging in cells to be held for a bail hearing.

“A quickly evolving joint operation between detachments and units are a regular event at times in the Southeast Kootenay and this event was quickly brought to conclusion with no injuries to the suspects or officers involved or additional damage to any property. Our investigation is ongoing,” S/Sgt. Nielsen said.

e-KNOW file photo

e-KNOW

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