File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By James Peters

Armed Robbery

RCMP vehicle rammed, officer injured after Batchelor Heights armed robbery

Mar 4, 2024 | 2:12 PM

KAMLOOPS — A Kamloops RCMP spokesperson says one of the detachment’s officers was injured when their vehicle was rammed by a suspected stolen truck Friday (Mar. 1).

In a news release, Cpl. Crystal Evelyn says officers were called to the hills behind Batchelor Heights at about 9:25 p.m. Friday, where suspects stole a pickup truck at gunpoint.

“The report was quite violent and included the presence of a firearm, a smashed window to gain access to the truck, and an assault with a weapon of its sole occupant,” said Evelyn. “The suspects — two men and a woman — fled in a burgundy truck they had arrived in, along with the victim’s grey Ford F-150 pickup.”

Mounties on the stolen truck’s tail found it near the Red Bridge. That’s where, according to Evelyn, the driver rammed a police vehicle and fled.

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An officer was hurt in the incident. Evelyn says the officer is expected to recover.

About four hours after the initial robbery, the truck was found abandoned near St. Paul Street West and McIntosh Street. The Police Dog Service Unit was brought in, but could not track the suspects down.

Evelyn says RCMP hope the public can help. The stolen truck is described as an early 2000s grey Ford F-150 with a white canopy, while the suspects were also driving an older style burgundy GMC pickup.

“Before it was abandoned, the stolen vehicle was observed driving through the downtown core, including on Second Avenue, Nicola Street and Lorne Street, before it was ditched by the suspects, who may have been picked up by another vehicle nearby,” said Cpl. Evelyn. “We are asking the public and businesses in the area to please have a look at any dash camera or security video they have, to see if it captured anything that could help further the investigation.”

The two male suspects are each about 5’10” tall. Evelyn says witnesses said they were both wearing dark hoodies and one wore a mask. The female suspect had a “small build” and was wearing “a multi-coloured jacket with images of different shapes.”

Anyone with further information is asked to call Kamloops RCMP at (250) 828-3000 and refer to file number 2024-6230.