Two well known criminals were arrested after a dramatic car chase through Langley in the early morning hours on Friday.
Around 3 a.m., a Langley RCMP officer doing routine patrol spotted a Honda Civic stopped with its doors open in the middle of a quiet Walnut Grove street. The officer saw one man standing beside the car and a second ducked down inside a parked car, looking like he was attempting to steal it, said RCMP regional duty officer Insp. Tim Shields.
When the two men saw the police they jumped into the Honda Civic and took off at a high rate of speed towards Fort Langley. RCMP helicopter Air One, which is based out of Langley Regional Airport, was dispatched and quickly arrived to track the Honda from the air.
The tactical flight officer video taped the incident using the camera's thermal imaging to track the men, said Shields. The Honda travelled at a high rate of speed along Glover Road where it passed another vehicle on a double solid line and narrowly missed striking a second car head on.
The Honda then turned into a driveway on a rural street and the two suspects got out and began walking without apparently knowing they were being tracked by air. Their body heat glowing brightly against the cold ground. When they realized they were followed they ran into a large farm property to escape capture but Air One was able to direct police ground units to the farm's location.
A police dog and handler were able to arrest one of the men. The other ran but was tracked down by the thermal imaging of Air One.
The driver, a 35-year-old was arrested and found to be prohibited from driving. The passenger is 31. Both face numerous charges.
The Honda has been stolen earlier that morning from a driveway in Surrey, said police.