UPDATE 3:25 p.m.
The Independent Investigations Office has started an investigation into Thursday morning's incident and is asking anyone who witnessed the suspect's interaction with police officers and the police service dog to contact them at 1-855-446-8477 or on their website.
Original
An early morning ride on a stolen forklift came to an end with the suspect attempting a getaway on a stolen e-bike after crashing into a Saanich business.
The forklift crashed into e-bike retailer Ride the Glide in Broadmead Village at about 1:30 a.m. July 18.
Saanich Police told the store’s co-owner Alicia Besler that the suspect had stolen the forklift from a construction site on the 4500-block of Elk Lake Drive. Officers told Alicia that the keys were believed to be left inside the forklift.
She provided an account of the events that followed the break-in to Black Press Media on Thursday morning.
She said co-owner Michael Besler drove to the store after receiving a notification that the store’s alarm had been triggered. As he pulled into the mall, he saw a forklift driving in the opposite direction onto Royal Oak Drive. On top of driving into the store, the suspect supposedly stole four e-bikes and had them balanced on top of a palette.
Michael drove after the forklift, which, by the time he caught up to it, was parked in the 800-block of Royal Oak Drive. Some of the bikes had fallen onto the road, and the suspect was trying to ride away on one of them.
After a confrontation between the suspect and Michael, the suspect fled on foot into a field.
In a media release, Saanich Police said officers arrived at the scene shortly after, and a police service dog and his handler located the suspect in some bushes in the nearby field. The suspect received minor injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment.
Because the suspect received injuries during the arrest, the Independent Investigation Office of B.C. (IIO) has been notified.
Ride the Glide’s storefront suffered heavy damage. The Beslers expect their store will be closed for repairs for at least the next few days. Alicia added that the four stolen bikes, valued at $16,000, are write-offs.
Meanwhile, the suspect remains in custody waiting for a court appearance. The stolen forklift was returned.
