(rdnewsNOW/Adam Ophus)

By Adam Ophus

Town Vehicle Stolen

Thief returns stolen vehicle claiming he “wanted to do the right thing”

Jul 21, 2020 | 4:38 PM

If there’s such a thing as an honest thief this might be it.

On July 10, a Town of Rocky Mountain House vehicle was stolen from the water treatment plant only to be returned by the thief later that day.

That morning, police say an individual rang the doorbell at the plant claiming he had some questions about the facility.

Once inside, the man grabbed a set of keys from a shelf and stole a nearby pickup truck, speeding away westbound.

Although RCMP had been notified, local peace officers spotted the vehicle coming back into town later that same day from the direction in which it fled.

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Officers followed the stolen vehicle back to the water treatment plant where they saw the man put the truck back exactly where he had taken it from.

When the arresting officers asked the man why he came back, he claimed he wanted to do the right thing and had just wanted to borrow it.

Besides being a little dirty, there was no damage to the vehicle but there was a white powder on the steering wheel.

With the possibility of the substance being fentanyl, the vehicle was professionally cleaned before being put back into service.

The man, whose name has not been released, is due in Rocky provincial court in September on charges of theft and possession of methamphetamine.