
Police on the Westshore have made separate arrests after two back-to-back car thefts took place this past week.
The first incident began around 9 a.m. when police received several calls reporting an erratic driver in the Meaford and Station area in Langford on Thursday, Feb. 2, according to West Shore RCMP.
What authorities considered a drunk driver quickly escalated when another call came in reporting the vehicle as stolen.
Authorities tracked the vehicle down and quickly made an arrest. The driver, a 41-year-old man, who was already under a driving prohibition from an earlier offence, is now facing multiple charges including:
- Possession of stolen property
- Impaired driving
- Possession of controlled substances
- Prohibited driving
He has been released on an undertaking and is to appear in court on May 4, 2023.
The second incident began around 2 a.m. Friday, when another RCMP officer approached a vehicle idling behind a business near the 770 block of Goldstream Avenue, also in Langford. The officer discovered the vehicle was stolen, and the man operating it had a driving prohibition in place.
No details were released on the suspect, but police say he is facing charges for both the theft of the vehicle and the prohibition.
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RCMP has several tips on how you might avoid becoming a victim of theft. Some of those tips include:
- Never leave your keys in your vehicle;
- Lock doors and close all windows of your vehicle;
- Take valuables with you;
- Use an anti-theft device;
- If able to do so, purchase a remote start to idle your vehicle in a safe manner over the colder months of the year; and
- If idling your vehicle to keep warm, do not leave it unattended with keys inside.
For more information on keeping your vehicle safe, visit ICBC’s page on preventing auto crime.