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A truck thief’s long night

Aug 17, 2018 | 7:48 AM

AIRDRIE- RCMP have arrested and charged a 41-year-old man from Olds after a lengthy pursuit of a stolen vehicle.

The chase also involved the Calgary Police Service and Airdrie, Beiseker, and Three Hills RCMP.

Shortly before 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Airdrie RCMP were alerted by the CPS HAWCS helicopter that a stolen Ford F-350 was being driven northbound on the QE2 and heading into Airdrie’s area.

The truck was being driven in an extremely dangerous manner on highways and through fields and rural properties.

It eventually turned east into the Beiseker region.

Mounties were able to disable the truck using three separate spike belts and it came to rest in a creek just northwest of Acme.

The lone suspect exited the vehicle and fled on foot.

RCMP Police Dog Services made attempts to track the driver through the rough, wet terrain but, the suspect was able to get away.

The next morning at approximately 10 a.m., Beiseker RCMP began to receive calls about a suspicious man covered in mud, wandering around the rural area, asking for directions and a ride.

Callers also told police that it looked like he had slept outside all night.

Eventually he was picked up by a good samaritan and dropped off at a restaurant in Linden and was arrested shortly after.

He has been remanded into custody and will appear in Provincial Court in Airdrie on August 23.

His name has not been released.

(Gary McKinnon)