A hunch led a Langley RCMP officer to arrest a suspect in the middle of an attempt to pry loose parts from a parked pickup.
On afternoon of Nov. 5, the officer on patrol in North Langley spotted a suspicious looking man driving a GMC pickup full of junk and tools, said Cpl. Holly Marks, a spokesperson for the Langley RCMP.
The officer turned around to see where the truck was going. The officer, driving an unmarked car and in plainclothes, saw the truck parked at the Carvolth Exchange bus loop on 86th Avenue.
Approaching the truck, the officer spotted the driver – not in his vehicle, but underneath a Dodge Ram pickup in the next parking stall.
The man was allegedly attempting to cut loose the catalytic converter.
There have been 12 previous incidents of catalytic converter theft from the same parking lot over the past two months, said Marks.
The man struggled briefly, but was arrested. He was also found to be a prohibited driver, and was under conditions that banned him from possessing tools.
The 48-year-old Surrey man is now facing charges and awaiting a court date on Dec. 18.