Hawkes the Police Dog (Image Credit: Vernon-North Okanagan RCMP)

By Kevin Rothwell / Vernon Matters

Hawkes Sniffs out Suspect

RCMP coordinate arrest near Vernon after Shuswap crime spree

Nov 17, 2020 | 2:56 PM

VERNON, B.C. — Police have arrested a man wanted on several charges after a co-ordinated effort involving three different RCMP detachments in the Shuswap and North Okanagan.

Forty-three-year-old Christopher Ryan Trethewey of West Kelowna was arrested and is charged with possession of stolen property, break and enter, theft of a motor vehicle, and two counts of breaching a release order.

On Friday morning (Nov. 13), the Vernon-North Okanagan RCMP responded to assist members of the Chase RCMP and Salmon Arm RCMP detachments who were tracking a stolen vehicle into the Falkland area.

Officers from the North Okanagan RCMP mobilized to intercept the vehicle, and at approximately 3 a.m., located it driving on Highway 97 near Salmon River Road. Police took up positions along the highway and continued to trail the suspect who eventually turned onto a rural property in 4300-block of L and A Road in Spallumcheen.

After abandoning the stolen truck, the suspect then stole a second vehicle from the location and continued his attempts to evade police. Once the second vehicle became disabled, the suspect ran, with members of the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP Police Dog Services in pursuit.

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“Police canine Hawkes located a track and successfully honed in on the suspect who was found hiding in some brush in a nearby ravine,” Const. Chris Terleski, media relations officer for the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP said. “The suspect was taken into custody with the assistance of our Police Dog Services. He remains in custody at this time pending a future court appearance.”