Candy Bar Caper Leads Haida Gwaii RCMP To Large Cache Of Stolen Goods

The case just kept expanding.

[This story originally appeared on The North Coast Review, a blog based in Prince Rupert that contains “items of interest to those living on the North Coast of BC.”]

A report of shoplifting at a store in Masset in early May took members of the RCMP in three communities off onto a search that delivered a wide array of stolen goods and quite the story in between.

Source: Village of Masset

From the Masset and Queen Charlotte detachments, comes the following review of a case that just kept expanding in scope as the day moved forward. Their investigation also included the services of the BC Conservation Officer Service before it all came to an end with an arrest and charges:

On Sunday, May 2, 2021, Queen Charlotte RCMP responded to a shoplifting complaint from a local business. During the investigation, police discovered so much more. It was learned that the suspect allegedly stole a vehicle that was abandoned in Port Clement where Masset RCMP were called to assist. 

Photo credit: Phil McLachlan / Black Press Media

After police recovered the jeep, investigation revealed that the suspect got the jeep stuck on the Datlamen Forest Service Road and allegedly took an excavator from a nearby work site in an attempt to get the jeep out. When that failed, a passerby, unaware of what had taken place, helped the suspect get the jeep free. 

There were two reports of break and enters in the area and police believe the suspect may have been responsible for those crimes. As the investigation continued to unfold, police learned that the suspect had abandoned the jeep following a crash and then allegedly took another vehicle. 

 Queen Charlotte RCMP with the assistance of the BC Conservation Officer Service located the stolen truck in their community and arrested the suspect for possession of stolen property. 

At the time of the arrest, the suspect was found to be in possession of other items reported stolen. He also had outstanding arrest warrants from Smithers and Prince Rupert for property related offences. He has taken to the Masset Detachment, held in custody and is facing several charges.

Photo credit: @skywardkick via Twenty20

The case file didn’t stop with the arrest, with mounties tracing the suspect’s movements back to a remote camp where they believed the suspect had been staying.

Upon arrival at the site, the RCMP then recovered the majority of the items stolen during this crime spree. Among the stolen property recovered was a canoe, which was used to transport the stolen property from the extremely remote location.

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