Vernon RCMP find handgun after early morning car chase

Vernon RCMP found a handgun and drugs after they finally caught up with a Penticton man who allegedly stole a truck left idling to warm it up in Vernon this morning.

Vernon North Okanagan RCMP said they received a report of a stolen truck from outside a residence on 25 Street at 7:15 a.m. Feb. 17.

According to a media release, the owner of the truck had left the keys inside with the engine running while they nipped back into their home.

RCMP says shortly afterwards an officer saw the stolen pickup truck travelling southbound on Commonage Road leaving Vernon. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle but it accelerated overtaking several vehicles as it fled from police. The RCMP officer discontinued the chase.

Not long afterwards a B.C. Highway Patrol officer noticed a suspicious male standing at the roundabout on Commonage Road near Predator Ridge. The man then got into another vehicle which attempted to drive away, but it was stopped as more police arrived on the scene.

Police then found a 9mm loaded handgun under the passenger seat and a number of stolen items from the truck which was found nearby.

"The discovery of a loaded firearm during this arrest highlights the potential dangers our officers face while carrying out their duties and reaffirms that nothing about police work is routine," Vernon RCMP const. Chris Terleski said in the release. "Thankfully this weapon did not come into play or this situation may have had an entirely different outcome."

The RCMP says a 41-year old Penticton man and 33-year-old Vernon woman are now in custody and face a number of potential criminal charges as the investigation continues.

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