A 40-year-old man has been arrested and charged after a bait car stolen in Parksville was tracked down in Errington.
Oceanside RCMP were alerted on Sunday at 8:30 p.m. that their bait car had been activated.
The vehicle was driven to a trailer park on Smithers Road in Errington where police surrounded the vehicle and kept watch.
The suspect, Jiles Gary Bennett of no fixed address, was seen by police making trips to the bait car and loading property into the vehicle.
RCMP say once Bennett got into the driver’s seat and appeared to be ready to leave, police swooped in and made an arrest without incident.
We are very happy to be a part of the Bait Car program. It is a very effective and safe way to deal with vehicle theft and is one of many of the tools we use to combat property crime in the Oceanside area.
said Sgt. Rose of Oceanside RCMP.
Some of the property placed in the vehicle was later found to have been stolen in a break and enter in Oceanside that happened two days prior.
Bennett was taken into custody and attended Nanaimo Provincial Court on Monday.
He was released on a Recognizance with several court-imposed conditions and will make his next appearance on February 20.
Ben O'Hara
