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.
Roger Collins
