Using a variety of resources, Mounties recovered a stolen vehicle last Tuesday.
On April 10, a Prince George resident reported their vehicle taken without their consent from their home on the 700 block of 17th Avenue. They believed the truck, a dark coloured Chevrolet Silverado 3500, was taken sometime during the evening as the owner was asleep, and believed it was a friend who had been staying with them that took the vehicle.
Police spotted the vehicle twice during the next two days. The first sighting was in the Hart when a witness called in to report seeing the vehicle. When police arrived at the location, the witness stated the vehicle left the area when the driver saw police arrive. Police were unable to locate the vehicle again despite extensive patrols.
The second sighting was shortly after midnight on April 13, 2021, when member on patrol located the vehicle on Eighth Avenue near Alward Street. The driver fled the area when the member attempted to conduct a traffic stop; in the interest of maintaining public safety, the member did not pursue the vehicle at that time.
The truck was located again near North Kelly Road in the Hart shortly after 3 p.m. that same day. The driver of the vehicle began swerving into oncoming traffic over double-solid yellow lines in order to evade police so members did not attempt a traffic stop. A member in an unmarked police vehicle spotted the truck near Chief Lake Road and Foothills Boulevard and was able to provide an update to police in the area. The member in the unmarked vehicle was able to maintain public safety and still keep sight of the truck and followed it until the driver entered the Salmon Forest Service Road.
“At this time, a police dog services (PDS) team and the police helicopter, Air 3, joined in following the vehicle down the forest service road. A member in the helicopter was able to provide updates on the vehicle’s speed and direction to members following the truck. A dead end forced the driver to turn around and come back towards the oncoming members. The driver stopped the truck when he saw the PDS team and, with the help of the Police Service Dog, members safely arrested him,” said Const. Jennifer Cooper, media spokesperson for the Prince George RCMP.
Police identified the driver as 33-year-old Prince George resident, Karl Boreland. Police are familiar with Boreland and, at the time of his arrest, a probation order compelled him not to occupy the driver’s seat of any motor vehicle. Police held Boreland for court where he pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle. He received a sentence of six months in jail with a three-year driving prohibition.