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Vehicle stolen from New West parking lot crashes into pond

A recent vehicular crime spree traveled from Chilliwack, through New Westminster, and out to Abbotsford, according to Chilliwack RCMP.
Vehicle in pond
Spree: A vehicle police say was stolen from a parking lot in New Westminster was crashed into a pond in Abbotsford.

A recent vehicular crime spree traveled from Chilliwack, through New Westminster, and out to Abbotsford, according to Chilliwack RCMP.

The RCMP received a report about a suspicious pickup truck parked at a housing complex in the 45000-block of Luckakuck Way in Chilliwack on Feb. 18 at about 11 p.m. Investigators connected that report to a truck stolen in Kelowna, according to a police press release.

After that, the truck was found abandoned in a New Westminster parking lot, police said.

A second vehicle was then stolen from the lot and crashed into a Chilliwack RCMP vehicle at a service station in Langley, then sped away as a man running from it was chased by police and arrested, according to the release.

The vehicle failed to stop for Abbotsford police on Clearbrook Road, and eventually crashed into a pond. The alleged driver was then also arrested, police said.

 “Criminals travel across jurisdictional boundaries to commit crime, and law enforcement agencies work together across jurisdictional boundaries to apprehend them,” RCMP Cpl. Mike Rail stated in the press release.

Two men from Alberta were charged by police.

James Chartrand, 27, is charged with failure to comply with a release condition.

Sebastian Thomas Tait, 25, is charged with driving-related offenses including possessions of stolen property, dangerous driving and failing to stop for police.

RCMP remind everyone who witnesses anything they believe to be suspicious in nature to contact local police or, should you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).