Three people charged following recent auto crime operation

Kamloops City

2022-11-03 15:45 PDT

File # 2022-37346/37607

A joint partnership between the Kamloops RCMP and a special auto crime team led to the recent recovery of stolen vehicles and three arrests.

From Oct. 17-21, the Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team (IMPACT) joined the Kamloops RCMP Crime Reduction Unit (CRU) to target those targeting Kamloops vehicle owners. Over the course of the week, IMPACT deployed eight members to Kamloops and brought specialized equipment, including bait cars, to help hold those responsible for motor vehicle crimes to account. A bait car is a vehicle strategically placed and monitored by law enforcement to attract and catch vehicle thieves.

Because we’re unfortunately running very high on the number of vehicles stolen from Kamloops, IMPACT reached out to see if we would be interested in this joint partnership, said Sergeant Jason Pole of the Crime Reduction Unit. Having a team like that in town to focus on one task – stolen vehicles -inevitably get results because they can really concentrate without the distraction of all the requirements placed on frontline police officers.

IMPACT is a designated provincial auto crime team made up of RCMP and municipal police officers who specifically target stolen vehicles and auto crime offenders.

From October 2019 to October 2020, Kamloops received approximately 329 stolen vehicle reports; 380 for the same time period in 2021; and 496 from October 2021 to October 2022.

The Kamloops RCMP Detachment recently reinstated its CRU following a review of resources and detachment priorities -- specifically those around prolific offenders and property crimes. Previously, officers had been dispersed to the frontlines due to a number of factors, in order to maintain service delivery models.

A big part of this joint initiative was providing a teaching experiencing to CRU members, added Sgt. Pole. It allowed the local team to learn more tips and techniques to help catch auto thieves and prevent them from doing business in Kamloops.

Highlights of the weeklong event include charge approval against three men in two separate investigations.

On Oct. 18, 2022, around 7 a.m., Kamloops RCMP Detachment received a report of a stolen blue F350 truck from the 900-block of Singh Street. A couple hours later, a frontline officer spotted that truck on the 200-block of Victoria Street. With the assistance of the IMPACT team, two suspects were arrested and charged.

Evan Leigh Davis, 27, and Douglas Laurence Jackson, 37, both of Kamloops, are charged with one count each of possession of stolen property exceeding $5,000 in value. Davis is also charged with prohibited driving.

On Oct. 20, 2022, the team responded to a reported vehicle theft and arrested a suspect.

John Robert Beauchemin, 36, of Kamloops is charged with one count of theft of motor vehicle and one count of prohibited driving.

Anyone who witnesses anything they believe to be suspicious or has information related to crime, is asked to please contact the Kamloops RCMP Detachment at 250-828-3000.

To learn more about IMPACT, the Bait Car Program, please visit IMPACT https://www.baitcar.com/about-impact-bait-car-program. Tips on how to help  protect your property are available online at bcrcmp or through ICBC.
 

Released by

Cpl. Crystal Evelyn

Media Relations Office
Kamloops RCMP
560 Battle Street, Kamloops, BC V2C 6N4
Office: 250-828-3193
Fax: 250-828-3034

Email: crystal.evelyn@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Website: kamloops.rcmp.ca

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