BIBLE HILL – The quick actions of a theft victim are being credited with helping catch the alleged culprits.
Colchester County RCMP Sgt. Al Affleck said a grey 2004 Toyota Echo was stolen from a Hilden driveway between 11:30 p.m. Tuesday and 2:26 a.m. Wednesday. The person discovered the vehicle missing and immediately called police.
"Within a half an hour we spotted the vehicle," Affleck said Thursday afternoon, noting typically people do not report such crimes until later the next morning. "It's really good for us to have real-time information."
A Mountie spotted the vehicle with two people inside it on Harmony Ridge Road. The officer turned around to pursue the vehicle, which he noticed had turned onto Jerad Road in Lower Harmony.
The officer located the vehicle moments later in the ditch with one young man inside. The RCMP dog was called in and tracked the second person to the back of a garage on Harmony Ridge Road.
Inside the stolen vehicle, police found a Spider-Man backpack containing items stolen that night in the Harmony-Greenfield area. The items included three cellphones, three GPS systems, a pair of sunglasses and an electronic devise charger.
A 16-year-old boy from Truro and a 17-year-old boy from Millbrook were charged with theft of a motor vehicle, break and enter into a garage, five thefts from vehicles and several breaches of probation and undertakings. They appeared in Shubenacadie Youth Court on Thursday and were remanded into custody until Monday when they will appear in Truro Youth Court.
Police executed three search warrants at homes in Millbrook, Truro and Bible Hill on Wednesday evening in connection with the ongoing investigation and seized iPods, earphones, cellphones, car adapters, an MP3 player, PSP, satellite radio and several digital cameras. Two men were arrested and released as police continue to investigate by attempting to identify the items that may have been stolen from the recent rash of thefts from vehicles.
Since April 1, the Colchester County RCMP has responded to 166 reports of thefts from vehicles.
Affleck reiterated the police's message to lock up and remove valuables from your vehicles. "Don't give these people these opportunities," he said.
One of the victims was able to locate her cellphone by calling her number.
"She was wondering where her cellphone was," Affleck explained. When she dialed her phone number, "We answered the call."
jmalloy@trurodaily.com
SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK How can you expect these young people to be held accountable for theft when they watch as someone much older, get "house arrest, maybe a couple months in Springhill or a small fine for REAL criminal activity? The young people must watch as other criminals deal in stolen cars, trucks, fruniture etc. and get the proverbial "slap on the wrist". It all comes down to who you have for a lawyer and who you have to back you for your court appearance. Let's just accept the fact that the system does not work! It's about time they give these criminals hard time in jail, and not let them sweet talk their way out of what they did or have someone else to take the fall for them! Yup, they sure live high on the hog, while the rest of tax payers work hard for what they have . . . . oh, but they are really sorry for what they did!