Youths charged with auto theft

SYDNEY — Two of three youths charged with stealing a vehicle and later crashing into a police cruiser were released from custody Tuesday on conditions.

The trio, who cannot be identified in accordance with the Youth Criminal Justice Act, were charged after a truck, a Ford F-150, was stolen early Monday morning in Sydney and crashed into a police vehicle travelling on Upper Prince Street. The trio had earlier been reported entering vehicles in the Ashby area of Sydney before being observed in a truck leaving the parking lot of the Scotsburn Dairy at around 3:30 a.m.

According to police, officers turned on their emergency lights in an attempt to stop the truck. However, the vehicle failed to stop and continued traveling along Upper Prince Street where it crashed into a second police vehicle.

The officer driving the police vehicle was taken to Cape Breton Regional Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries and later released.

The three occupants of the truck ran away from the scene and were arrested a short time later. A 15-year-old girl is charged with auto theft and two counts of breaching court orders.

She is now scheduled to have bail hearing on the charges Wednesday.

A 13-year-old boy is charged with two counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm and a single count of auto theft.

The third accused, a 16-year-old girl, is charged with auto theft. The 13-year-old and 16-year-old were both released on conditions Tuesday and are to return to court April 18 to enter pleas. Among the conditions of the release, all three are to have no contact with each other and are to adhere to a curfew.