The RCMP Emergency Response Team, police dogs and a helicopter converged on Port Alberni Friday afternoon (July 22) after a man who stole a BC Ambulance Service support vehicle on the west coast was spotted in the central Island city.

The support vehiclesa国际传媒攏ot an ambulancesa国际传媒攚as stolen in Ucluelet around 1:45 p.m. that day, Port Alberni RCMP Const. Richard Johns said. The emergency response team and helicopter were called in after Ucluelet RCMP made contact with the man and determined that he was potentially armed with a crossbow and a shotgun.

Police received a report from a homeowner near Airport Road, west of Port Alberni, that the man and BCAS vehicle were on his property; all available units from Port Alberni RCMP joined the pursuit.

sa国际传媒淢embers were able to engage the vehicle in Port Alberni as well as Ucluelet,sa国际传媒� Johns said. An RCMP member spotted the stolen vehicle on Coleman Road and attempted to stop it, but the man sa国际传媒渢ook off at a high rate of speed,sa国际传媒� according to Johns. Because RCMP were able to track the vehiclesa国际传媒檚 GPS they did not give chase.

At 4 p.m. the vehicle was recovered and officers found the man nearby. sa国际传媒淗e was arrested without issue,sa国际传媒� Johns said.

The man was a suspect in a case of a stolen vehicle and uttering threats in View Royal and multiple break and enters in Sooke between July 19 and 20.

Ucluelet was full of tourists from July 22-24 for the annual Ukee Days celebration at the fairgrounds.

sa国际传媒淲e received a lot of reports from the public,sa国际传媒� Johns said. sa国际传媒淧eople had a lot of concern for a BCAS vehicle that was being operated in a manner that was odd,sa国际传媒� and that the person behind the wheel did not look like a paramedic, he said.

sa国际传媒淲e appreciated the reports from the public, as well as the response from the Emergency Response Team, RCMP Dog Services and air aid.sa国际传媒�

One man is in custody and was awaiting a bail hearing Monday, he added.

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susie.quinn@albernivalleynews.com
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