Two people were arrested while engaged in suspicious activity in the Mall at Piccadilly parking lot.
At approximately 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 25, Salmon Arm RCMP officers patrolling near the mall witnessed a man walking through the rows of vehicles in the shopping centre’s parking lot.
“A check of the male revealed he was from Alberta and had an extensive criminal record,” said Salmon Arm RCMP Staff Sgt. Scott West.
Other officers patrolling the parking lot found a vehicle with no licence plates. West said the driver behind the wheel of that vehicle appeared “uncharacteristically surprised” when they saw the police cruiser, and made a hasty exit from the mall parking lot.
Soon after, another officer located the suspect vehicle in a different parking lot, where two people were witnessed exiting the car. Scott said they were arrested while walking back toward the mall.
The vehicle was found to have been stolen from Calgary and the driver, a 49-year-old woman, had been prohibited from driving and under conditions not to be in a motor vehicle.
“The female also has a number of charges before the courts,” said West. “She was held in custody for a bail hearing before a justice of the peace.”
The driver was subsequently remanded in custody for a court appearance on Tuesday, Nov. 28.
The 33-year-old man who was arrested leaving the vehicle has since been released for a court appearance later this year.
West said the incident serves as a reminder to Christmas shoppers to ensure that valuables left in vehicles are carefully hidden from view or locked in the trunk.
@SalmonArm
lachlan@saobserver.net
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