Skip to main content

Police say alleged car thieves arrested after 'dangerous' chase in downtown Montreal

The Montreal police logo is seen on a police vehicle. (CTV News) The Montreal police logo is seen on a police vehicle. (CTV News)
Share

Montreal police have arrested three alleged car thieves, including one who drove a BMW on a sidewalk and struck an officer with their vehicle while leading police on a wild and "dangerous" chase downtown last month.

The intervention started just before 2 p.m. on April 7 when police got a tip about a stolen vehicle on Stanley Street. When officers arrived, there were four suspect vehicles near the intersection with Sherbrooke Street.

One of the officers approached the black BMW to speak to the driver.

"Rather than obey the officer's orders, the suspect allegedly hit him with his vehicle as he fled. He then drove onto the sidewalk and drove north in the opposite direction to escape the officers," police said in a news release on Friday.

The three other suspect vehicles sped away from the officers "performing several other dangerous manoeuvres" in the presence of multiple pedestrians at the busy intersection, according to police.

Three of the four suspects were arrested in recent days. An 18-year-old man was arrested at a home downtown where officers found tools used to steal vehicles.

On Wednesday evening, two other suspects, men aged 20 and 25, were arrested at an apartment in Outremont with the help of a police tactical team "due to the level of risk they presented." More vehicle theft tools were found in the home.

Two of the people arrested appeared in court on several charges, including auto theft, receiving stolen property, fleeing the scene of a crime, and dangerous driving. The driver who allegedly struck the police officer with his car faces an additional charge of assault with a weapon, while the third suspect was released under strict conditions.

A fourth suspect is still being sought by police, who believe all four individuals are responsible for other recent vehicle thefts on the Island of Montreal.

According to statistics recently provided to CTV News, less than half of stolen vehicles in Montreal are recovered by police.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Stay Connected