Police near Fernie seized seven grams of cocaine after a purse snatcher was caught along Mt. Fernie Park Road.
On Aug. 31, police responded to a theft in progress at the Morrissey boat launch.
The complainant said they were unloading their boat when they heard a car door open and close.
The owner went to look and noticed her purse was gone.
It contained ID, bank cards and the passports of her and her husband.
The couple were visiting from the United States.
While on the phone with police they were following a white truck with B.C. licence plates they suspected they were involved in the theft.
Police advised them to stop following and officers located the truck in downtown Fernie.
The driver and passenger in the truck told police they had dropped off an unknown hitchhiker near the provincial park.
After a couple hours of searching police found a suspect in a different vehicle.
A 38-year-old man who is known to local police had the woman’s wallet in his lap.
He was arrested and a further search found seven grams of cocaine.
After being held in custody and interviewed by police he led Police back to the scene in Mt. Fernie Park to the rest of the belongings of the victim.