Frank Luba - The Province - Vancouver
6/4/01
Three bold thieves sparked
a high-speed chase on the
weekend after stealing an
unmarked police cruiser and
activating the siren, flashing
lights and police radio.
The trio made off with the
cruiser at about 8 p.m. on
Saturday from an overflow
lot about half a block from
New Westminster police
headquarters. The vehicle had
been parked in the lot because
of Remembrance Day ceremonies.
The car was equipped with all the standard equipment -- siren,
lights, and a radio -- which the suspects proceeded to use.
"They were interfering with our communications," said New
Westminster Staff-Sgt. Derek Dickson. The language, he added,
was "profanity-laced" but police at that point didn't know who
was causing the radio ruckus.
They only realized that the car had been stolen when a caller
reported its license plate had been noted at a crime scene in
Burnaby, where a suspected theft had occurred.
The Port Mann freeway patrol spotted the stolen cruiser at about
9:30 p.m. When the driver ignored an order to stop, the chase
was on.
Police said the pursuit on Highway No.1 was later abandoned because
of excessive speeds.
At about 9:45 p.m. police received a report of a single-vehicle
accident in Surrey, where their unmarked cruiser had crashed into
a tree.
A police dog squad later arrested three suspects in the area of 96th
Avenue and 176th Street in Surrey.
The suspects, two men and a juvenile, remained in custody yesterday.
They will appear in New Westminster Provincial Court tomorrow to
face charges of theft over $5,000, dangerous driving and causing a
police pursuit.
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