Cop chases man on foot

On Dec. 5 at approximately 1:30 a.m., Merritt RCMP observed a vehicle on Menzies Street commit a traffic violation. When police stopped the vehicle, the driver, a local 26-year-old man, jumped out of the vehicle and began running away. The officer pursued the man on foot. The foot chase lasted for a couple of hundred metres when the officer caught the man from behind. The man was arrested for obstructing a police officer. Further investigation revealed that the man possessed a small quantity of marijuana and was flagged by the Motor Vehicle Branch to be served a driving prohibition. He was later released from custody and will appear in provincial court in February 2014.

Stolen electronics

On Dec. 6 at approximately 2 p.m., a local business in the 2700 block of Forksdale Avenue advised police that two females had entered their store and taken electronic equipment. The theft was detected when the women left the store. The items taken included a backseat Bluetooth speaker set, Bluetooth speakers and a Fluid digital car camera. The first woman is described as First Nations, approximately five feet, six inches tall and 150 pounds with long hair, wearing white fur boots, a white and black fleece coat and jeans.

The second female is also described as First Nations, about 120 pounds with glasses, a ponytail, a red and blue coat and blue jeans. The women got into a two-door blue or purple Dodge Neon or Chevrolet Cobalt type of car. The vehicle has a distinctive decal in the rear window that states “PRIDE.” If anyone has any information about this, they are asked to call the Merritt detachment or Crime Stoppers.

Impaired drivers

On Dec. 12 at approximately 2 a.m., Merritt police followed a vehicle travelling east on Merritt Avenue in Merritt. The vehicle was observed to be swerving from left to right in its lane. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver, a local 52-year-old man, was found to have been drinking and his ability to operate a motor vehicle was impaired. He will appear in provincial court in March 2014.

On Dec. 13 at approximately 2:30 a.m., Merritt RCMP observed a vehicle moving erratically eastbound on Quilchena Avenue. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver, a 32-year-old man from Kelowna, was found to have been drinking and his ability to operate a motor vehicle was impaired. He was issued a three-day immediate roadside suspension and also issued a violation ticket for not having a valid driver’s licence.

Rock through car window

Sometime between Dec. 11 and 12, unknown person(s) threw a rock through the window of a vehicle that was parked in the 2500 block of Coutlee Avenue. If anyone has any information about this, they are asked to call the Merritt detachment or Crime Stoppers.

Merritt detachment:

(250) 378-4262

Crime Stoppers:

1-800-222-TIPS