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Stolen Smithers vehicle tracked down in Prince George

RCMP found a stolen Smithers vehicle and have arrested the alleged thief.

View Smithers vehicle theft in a larger map

A pick-up truck that had been stolen in Smithers on Oct. 29 was later that day pulled over by RCMP in Prince George.

Police in B.C.'s Northern Capital conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle on Spruce Street, but when the vehicle stopped two occupants got out of the vehicle and ran on foot. The vehicle then ran a red light as it sped away at the intersection of 20th Avenue and Spruce Street.

An RCMP media release states that police did not pursue the vehicle. However, the suspected driver was minutes later seen running across 20th Avenue near Cuddie Crescent. The truck itself was located on Cuddie Crescent.

A police dog was used to track the area, and sniffed out the suspect who was hiding in a camper in the back yard of a residence on Norwood Street.  Even with a police dog, the suspect still resisted arrest, police said. The man was eventually arrested and taken to the University Hospital of Northern BC for treatment of dog bite wounds.

Provincial Crown has approved charges againt Michael Andrew O'Neill, 37, who police say most recently lived in Kamloops but is thought to originally be from Victoria.

The approved charges are for possession of property obtained by crime, flight from a peace officer, and wilfully resisting a peace officer.

His last court appearance was on Nov. 2.