Police are continuing to investigate following the theft of several stolen vehicles this weekend including one that ended up on the Fraser River.
A 2003 Ford F-350 pickup truck was found in the middle of the river just south of the Simon Fraser bridge on Sunday morning, a bit less than 12 hours after it was reported stolen from the parking lot of a mall near the corner of Massey Drive and Westwood Boulevard.
It appears it was rolled down an embankment near Ferry Avenue and Clapperton Street.
A Prince George Fire Rescue team was called in and confirmed no one was in the truck before it was pulled back up with the help of a tow truck - an operation that took several hours.
The truck had gone missing from the mall sometime after 6:20 p.m. while the owner was Christmas shopping. Police continued to look for suspects as of Monday.
It was just one of eight reports of stolen vehicles or attempted thefts RCMP had received since early Friday morning:
- A white 2008 Ford F350, with rear BC licence plate JN8255, was stolen from the 2600 block of Prince George Pulpmill Road and remains missing.
- A 1995 Pontiac Grand Prix was located near Second and George after it was stolen from the 6500 block of Southridge Avenue. It had been left running with the keys in the ignition while owner was shopping, RCMP said.
- A 1998 Plymouth Voyager, stolen from Cherry Avenue, was used in an armed robbery. It was recovered on Chief Lake Road on Friday night and three suspects were arrested.
- A 2000 Chevy Silverado pickup, stolen from the 200 block of North Ospika Boulevard, was located in Quesnel.
- Attempted thefts of a 2001 GMC Sierra pickup from the 900 block of Ahbau Street and a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado pickup from Goheen Place were thwarted because the prospective thieves could not get the trucks started.
- An attempted theft of a Chevrolet Suburban from the 900 block of Ahbau Street also failed but the tires and rims were taken off the vehicle and not yet located.
"Police wish to remind the public to use an anti-theft device such as an immobilizer and to never leave your in keys in your vehicle," RCMP said.
If you have any information about these investigations or who may be involved, please contact the Prince George RCMP at (250)561-3300 or anonymously contact Crime Stoppers at 1(800)222-8477, online at www.pgcrimestoppers.bc.ca (English only), or Text-A-Tip to CRIMES (274637) using keyword "pgtips". You do not have to reveal your identity to Crime Stoppers. If you provide information that leads to an arrest or the recovery of stolen property, you could be eligible for a cash reward.
