Truck stolen in Campbell’s Bay allegedly part of larger spree, BEI investigating

Truck stolen in Campbell’s Bay allegedly part of larger spree, BEI investigating

Update: In a statement issued February 7, the BEI announced that the suspect in the case had died. 

Quebec’s Police watchdog the Bureau des Enquêtes Indépendantes (BEI) is investigating after a man allegedly stole a series of vehicles in both the Montreal area and Campbell’s Bay earlier this week. The spree ended and an investigation was opened Tuesday morning after the suspected thief collided with two other vehicles in Blainville, north of Montreal. The suspect was taken to hospital with serious injuries, while the occupants of the two other vehicles sustained minor injuries, according to the BEI.

The BEI is called whenever someone is killed or seriously injured during a police intervention or while in police custody.

Good Samaritan’s truck stolen from shop driveway

The Pontiac portion of the story began at around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday (February 4) when Maurice Morin of Campbell’s Bay was out inspecting the conditions for the family snowplow company, Morin Sand and Gravel. He said he noticed a van pulled over with a flat tire in the eastbound lane of Hwy. 148, just up the hill from the intersection with Rte. 301. After speaking with the driver, they pulled into a nearby dépanneur parking lot and attempted to change the tire.

Shortly after 4 a.m. Morin took the man back to his shop to fetch some additional tools and left the truck running outside due to the cold. He said he was standing near the door gathering everything up when the man exited the shop and jumped in his vehicle. Morin said that he grabbed onto the side mirror and was dragged as the man reversed out of the driveway. He let go and fell when the truck got to the road, but said he wasn’t injured.

Morin said that the man was French-speaking and in his 20s or 30s with average height and weight. He said when local officers responded he told them that the truck could be tracked remotely with its anti-theft technology. Morin said the suspect told him he was in the area to do some snowmobiling with his friends, but was hazy on details when questioned further.

Theft allegedly part of wide-ranging spree

The Pontiac connection to the case is unclear, as the pursuit began and concluded roughly 400 km away.

According to the initial BEI report, the manhunt began on Monday afternoon (February 3) in Sorel-Tracy, just northeast of Montreal, after police received a call about a stolen vehicle. SQ officers located the vehicle and intercepted it in Yamaska, about 20 km from Sorel-Tracy, but the suspect managed to escape on foot after the vehicle went off the road.

The report states that while officers were searching for the suspect, they were called about a stolen vehicle in Yamaska at around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday morning. The vehicle stolen from Yamaska was recovered in Campbell’s Bay.

According to the BEI’s report, police were informed at about 6:38 a.m. of the third stolen vehicle from Campbell’s Bay. The truck was located on Hwy. 50 near Lachute and police began a pursuit, also attempting to stop the vehicle with a spike mat. Just after 7 a.m., the vehicle collided with a patrol car and another vehicle on Hwy. 50 near kilometer 288. At 7:14 a.m. the decision was made to stop the pursuit, according to the BEI. Around five minutes later, the fleeing truck collided with two other vehicles in Blainville, a nearby suburb.

Five BEI investigators have been assigned to investigate the circumstances surrounding the police intervention, with the assistance of the Montreal Police Service. The Montreal Police will also be conducting a parallel criminal investigation into the events that occurred.

The BEI is asking anyone with information to contact them through their website.

The BEI states that no further information is available at this time.