ON Monday, December 16 at 9:20 p.m., a member of the Lower Mainland Integrated Police Dog Service (IPDS) located a stolen Toyota Tacoma Pickup traveling eastbound on Highway 1 from the Coquitlam area. The vehicle had been stolen during a residential break-and-enter in Burnaby on December 14, police said.

The stolen vehicle was covertly tracked into Abbotsford with assistance from Abbotsford Police patrol plainclothes officers until it entered the parking lot of the Sandman Hotel on Mt. Lehman Road. The truck was observed backing into a parking stall, prompting additional Abbotsford Police officers and K9 officers to move in and pin it.

The driver of the stolen vehicle attempted to flee by ramming police vehicles. However, officers were successful in pinning the vehicle in. The suspect continued to be non-compliant with police direction and was seen reaching around in the vehicle, which officers suspected was in search of a weapon. Due to the ongoing non-compliance of the suspect and belief that a weapon was present, police said they deployed less lethal bean bag rounds and a police dog in an effort to gain the suspect’s compliance and take him into custody.

A 37-year-old man from the Lower Mainland, who has a significant criminal history, was arrested. During a search of the stolen vehicle, police recovered a firearm in the area the suspect had been reaching for, along with stolen items from the Burnaby residential break-in. At the time of the man’s arrest, he was on probation and had an outstanding warrant from another province.

The suspect was transported to hospital with minor injuries but has since been released and is currently being held where he awaits a morning bail hearing. Police are recommending numerous charges.