Prince George, BC – Two suspects have been arrested and face numerous charges in connection with a crime spree in Prince George and Quesnel that began earlier this week…

RCMP Media Liaison Officer, Corporal Craig Douglass, says police believe a small, organized group of people are responsible for a series of thefts, and attempted thefts of trucks, ATVs, and light equipment that occurred over a three-day span and culminated with two people being taken into custody in a wooded area near Quesnel over the noon hour on Thursday. (250News file photo)

Corporal Douglass says in total, four pick-up trucks were stolen during the spree, which began early Tuesday morning. In one instance, Douglass says thieves rammed a gate into a commercial property on 22nd Avenue and stole one pick-up, while efforts to steal two other trucks in the yard were unsuccessful. Investigators also believe one of the stolen pick-ups was used in the attempted theft of a trailer and excavator from Forrest Avenue in Prince George.

By early Thursday morning, police started to locate the stolen vehicles – officers were called to Purden Lake at approximately 2:30am where they found one of the trucks completely destroyed by fire. A second was discovered abandoned on Highway 97 South. Officers on-scene were approached by a nearby resident who reported a side-by-side ATV and trailer had been stolen sometime overnight, and approximately $5000 in damage to the property gate.

Then, at approximately noon, Corporal Douglass says a member of the RCMP’s Regional Provincial Traffic Services Unit in Quesnel observed what was believed to be two men attempting to steal a skid steer tractor and trailer on Dennis Road in Quesnel. The two suspects fled the area in what was later confirmed to be one of the remaining stolen pick-ups from Prince George.

With the help of the police service dog ‘Astro’ and his handler, the two suspects were successfully tracked more than 1.5-kilometres into a wooded area off Northstar Road. "One suspect surrendered to officers and was found in possession of bear spray," says Corporal Douglass. "The other suspect received minor injuries as a result of wounds sustained from a dog bite. He was treated in hospital and released back into custody."

Charges have been laid against 33-year-old Prince George resident Dale Al West and 23-year-old Quesnel resident Eric Joseph Heidemann, formerly of Prince George. In addition, RCMP say arrest warrants are pending against a 24-year-old man and a 32-year-old man, both from Prince George.