Columbia Valley RCMP was kept busy last Wednesday, responding to a suspicious vehicle that managed to evade police and three reported thefts.
According to Columbia Valley RCMP, a suspicious black Nissan Armada was spotted driving around the Timber Ridge area of Invermere on Wednesday, December 11, 2019, around 1:30 am.
“An officer immediately attended the area and located the Nissan Armada, however, the vehicle fled northbound on Highway 93/95 when the officer activated his lights and siren,” said Sgt. Darren Kakuno with Columbia Valley RCMP. “The officer did not pursue the vehicle out of concern for public safety.”
Later in the day on Wednesday, RCMP located the vehicle in Kootenay National Park, where the Armada was found to have been abandoned. Running checks on the vehicle, RCMP also determined that it had been stolen out of Okotoks, Alberta.
Following the brief police chase, police responded to three thefts.
The first resident reported that their grey Volkswagen Passat had been stolen from Hilltop Road in Windermere sometime overnight. Another resident on Hilltop Road reported that their wallet was stolen from their vehicle overnight, while another resident along Prospector Avenue in Radium Hot Springs reported that several items were stolen from their vehicle including their GPS and sunglasses.
“Residents are reminded to lock their vehicles and remove the keys and valuables,” said Sgt. Kakuno.
In all three thefts, Kakuno said there was no forced entry into the vehicle by whoever stole the items.
Columbia Valley RCMP is continuing to investigate all of the incidents, which may or may not be related or connected. Anyone from the public that may have more information is asked to contact the Columbia Valley RCMP detachment at (250) 342-9292.