Prince George RCMP arrested two prolific offenders Thursday afternoon.
Street Crew Unit members saw 22-year-old Thomas Joshua Toman and 26-year-old Justus Leigh Colin Teasdale driving a stolen rental vehicle. Police followed the pair to the Walmart parking lot, at 6565 Southridge Avenue, where they surrounded the vehicle and arrested Toman and Teasdale.
The Prince George RCMP considers these offenders violent and police say their arrest was high-risk to the members responding and potentially to the surrounding public. Toman did not initially comply with police direction during his arrest and as such, police deployed a conducted energy weapon (Taser) to reduce the potential for any violence. Police took both Toman and Teasdale into police custody without further incident. They will remain in custody while they await trial. Police searched the stolen vehicle after the arrests and located a loaded shotgun underneath the front passenger seat and a loaded rifle on the floor of the driver’s seat.
“Thomas Toman and Justus Teasdale are prolific offenders and well-known to Prince George RCMP,” said Const. Jennifer Cooper.
The British Columbia Prosecution Service has approved eight charges against Toman, including possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000; unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle; unauthorized possession of a firearm; possession of a weapon; possession of a firearm contrary to prohibition order and resisting arrest. At the time of his arrest, Toman had one outstanding warrant.
The British Columbia Prosecution Service has approved nine charges against Teasdale, including possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000; unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle; careless storage of a firearm; possession of a weapon, resisting arrest; obstructing a police officer and possession of a firearm contrary to prohibition order. At the time of his arrest, Teasdale had 10 outstanding warrants.
The investigation is ongoing.
If you have any information about this or any other criminal offence, please contact the Prince George RCMP at (250)561-3300 or anonymously contact Crime Stoppers at 1(800)222-8477 or online at www.pgcrimestoppers.bc.ca (English only). You do not have to reveal your identity to Crime Stoppers. If you provide information that leads to an arrest or recovery of stolen property, you could be eligible for a cash reward.