Police are investigating the roles of four suspects in a series of armed robberies in Salmon Arm and Vernon following a dramatic chase Saturday, which ended when police used a spike belt to disable a stolen truck near the junction of Highway 97B and the Trans-Canada Highway.
The incident began at 4:30 p.m. when a 2003 Ford F350 pick up which had been reported stolen in Vernon on April 8 was spotted traveling south on 30th Street NE by a Salmon Arm RCMP officer.
Several officers went to the area and attempted to stop the vehicle on 10th Avenue SE near Highway 97B. The driver refused to stop for police.
The vehicle could not exit the dead-end road, so it cut across a private driveway and onto a farmer’s field, where it drove across the field, through a fence and back onto 70th Street SE.
A spike belt was set up at the 10th Avenue NE intersection and the stolen truck ran over it, coming to a stop near the Countryside Mobile Home display parking lot.
Two men ran from the truck, but were pursued by police and arrested a short time later.
A woman got out of the truck and was immediately arrested in the parking lot.
Another man was arrested while attempting to hide in a nearby trailer park.
A police dog searching the area later discovered a discarded handgun and nylon pantyhose.
The four suspects are being held in custody and face several charges.
RCMP Sgt. Eric Castle says police believe two of the men in custody are also responsible for robberies at the Silver Creek Store on Thursday, the Cash Factory in Salmon Arm on Friday and are being investigated for a break and enter at a Royal Bank in Vernon where a truck was driven through the glass front doors and it is alleged an attempt was made to steal an ATM.
On Saturday at approximately 6:23 a.m., officers from the Vernon detachment were dispatched to a report of a break-and-enter at the Royal Bank at The Shops at Polson Park.
“The investigation has learned that a truck was driven backwards into the bank stopping just short of the front counter,” said Vernon RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk.
“The closed-circuit TV in the bank has been able to capture still images of the two male suspects. The face of one of the males is partially concealed with a hoodie. The male in the passenger side of the vehicle was not able to get out of the vehicle as the folding curtain was up against the door and would not allow him out.”
The driver jumped over the counter and went behind. Nothing appears to have been stolen.
Both men left in the vehicle, a white 2000 Ford F-250 extra cab. The stolen vehicle was recovered in Vernon a short time later with considerable damage to it.
Several nearby businesses received damage as a chain that was swinging from the truck broke some windows as the suspects fled.
The four suspects include a 46-year-old man from Salmon Arm, A 33-year-old man from Celista, a 34-year-old man from Drayton Valley, Alta. and a 22-year-old woman from Enderby.
The Celista man also has warrants for his arrest out of Alberta for 16 criminal charges ranging from break and enter to breach of probation.