By James Peters / Greg Fry

Stolen vehicle pursuit ends in Valleyview

Sep 21, 2017 | 2:56 PM

KAMLOOPS — A 35-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman are in police custody following a police pursuit down the Trans Canada Highway east of Kamloops today.

It all started when Vernon-North Okanagan RCMP attempted to stop a white pickup in Falkland believed to be associated to a recent series of break-and-enters in the rural area of the detachment. Police say the pickup fled from police and the occupants abandoned it on Highway 97 after a tire was flattened.

They then stole a Toyota Corolla which had stopped on the side of the highway. Attempts to stop the car were unsuccessful as it fled westbound on Highway 1 from Chase to Kamloops.

“The suspects drove to Falkland, from there to Chase and then onto Highway 1 towards Kamloops,” says Cpl. Jodi Shelkie. “The RCMP airplane was deployed from Kelowna and followed the vehicle, giving its location to officers on the ground.”

She says police officers were able to use a spike belt to deflate at least one tire on the stolen car near Lafarge. From there, the suspects continued driving on Highway 1 and took the Summit exit into Kamloops. They drove down Columbia Street and exited back out to Highway 1 and started heading eastbound before police eventually stopped the vehicle at Vicars Road.

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A follow-up investigation determined that the white pickup was reported stolen in Vernon on Sept. 2. The suspects, both known to police, have been transported to Vernon and face several charges including theft of a vehicle. A rifle and a handgun were found inside of the stolen car.

The male suspect is from Pritchard and the female is from Vernon. Their names haven’t been released yet.