The cops have nabbed a prolific thief with help from two Rossland residents.
Clayton Bone appeared in Nelson Provincial Court Tuesday and plead guilty to possession of a stolen vehicle, flight from police, and uttering threats to harm a police, officer. The 28-year-old from Kimberley was sentenced to 15 months in jail.
Just before 10 a.m. Saturday, two Rossland residents, came across a man driving what they believed to be a stolen vehicle out of Christina Lake. They recognized the stolen red Suzuki Sidekick from a Facebook post they saw earlier that day, explained Sgt. Darren Oelke of the Trail and Greater District Detachment.
But a chase gave way on foot when the police attempted to close in on the “car thief” in the Centennial Trail parking lot.
“One officer was injured chasing the male over a steep embankment, and the male escaped into the City of Rossland,” he said, adding that the suspect blew his flip flops off mid chase. “(Bone) then stole a child's mountain bike and tried to make his escape down the Rossland hill.”
Police caught up with him near Warfield and followed him into Trail, where he refused to give up, ditched the stolen bike near Rossland Avenue and made his escape into West Trail on foot.
He was arrested early Sunday morning, without incident, when the cops were tipped of his whereabouts.
“Communities in the Kootenay Boundary, especially Beaver Valley and Fruitvale, have seen a dramatic increase in property-related offences, especially theft of vehicles over the last few weeks,” said Oelke. “Police are confident with Clayton Bone in custody the property crimes will decrease.”
The latest thefts took place in the Rossland area and included a Honda Civic, which was later found crashed by Seven Summits trail, and a Honda CRV that is still missing.
“We think he's responsible for the vast majority, maybe with a couple little helpers, but we're thinking he is our primary fellow,” added Oelke.