OCEANSIDE — RCMP were able to return some stolen goods after they were recovered during an arrest for taking a planted bait car.
Cpl. Jesse Foreman said a bait car was stolen from Parksville at roughly 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 4 and driven to a trailer park in Errington. Officers followed the car and reported seeing the driver load it up with items from a trailer.
They arrested him when it looked like the car was about to leave, at which point officers found the items inside were stolen two days before.
Foreman said it was mostly fishing gear and personal possessions they managed to return to the rightful owner.
The bait car program in Oceanside, where an unlocked car is left in a high-traffic area and rigged with GPS and cameras, normally sees people break in and rummage around for change.
“For it to actually go mobile is a nice catch for us,” Foreman said.
40-year-old Jiles Garrett Bennett, who Foreman said has had “several dealings with the police,” will appear in court on Feb. 20 to face charges of theft over $5,000 and possession of stolen property.
Story written by Spencer Sterritt
