A keen observation from a rookie RCMP officer led to the arrest of a wanted car thief and the return of a vehicle originally stolen from a South Surrey car dealership.
According to police, an employee at the dealership was tricked on Dec. 19 into handing over a set of keys for a brand-new pickup truck to a man, who promptly drove off.
The theft – along with surveillance photos – was reported to police. It was also shared with local television stations, which broadcast the images.
According to a news release issued Thursday afternoon, Const. Orin MacDonald recognized the suspect, and on New Year's Eve, spotted the stolen vehicle being driven by the same individual.
"When I saw him drive by, I couldn't believe what I was seeing," MacDonald said in the release.
A suspect was arrested without incident soon after, upon entering a nearby liquor store.
The truck suffered about $3,000 in damages.
Cpl. Scotty Schumann described the arrest as "a real tribute to the tenacity and attention to detail displayed by one of our brand-new members."
"Anytime the Surrey RCMP can take a stolen vehicle off the road we're improving the safety of our community and reducing the likelihood of other crimes being committed," Schumann added.
Langley resident Dean Williams, 52, is charged with theft over $5,000 and possession of stolen property over $5,000. He is due back in Surrey Provincial Court on Friday (Jan. 15).