Arrested for stealing truck, men try to swipe another one hours later

Just hours after they were released following their arrest in connection with a stolen truck, two men were busted again for attempting to steal another, police say.

The two were first spotted on Hudson Street in Penticton around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday trying to steal an ATV. They fled without it, but were seen again a few hours later leaving a work site on Middle Bench Road pulling a cargo trailer.

While fleeing from police in the stolen truck, the trailer came loose and struck a fence. The truck was later brought to a halt by police using a spike belt, and the two men fled, but were located nearby.

When they were released later that day on a promise to appear, members of the Targeted Enforcement Unit began watching them and within two hours saw them take a pickup from a home on Brandon Avenue. Police moved in for the arrest a short time later on Taggert Crescent near Highway 3A.

“This was an excellent team effort by the officers involved,” Penticton RCMP Staff Sgt. Kirsten Marshall said in a press release.

“It was successful because of the citizens of our community that provided us with the information needed to arrest these individuals.”

Michael Dennis Carlson and Rajan Singh Sahota are each charged with two counts of theft of a motor vehicle and possession of stolen property over $5,000.

Both are behind bars awaiting their next court appearance Aug. 16.