A man who stole a jerry can of gas from a pickup this week had no idea he was doing it in front of a plainclothes police officer.
Just after 11 a.m. on Tuesday, a West Shore RCMP was in the 1200-block of Goldstream Avenue on an unrelated matter when he saw a man acting suspiciously and peeking into a pickup truck parked in a private driveway.
The man lowered the hood on his sweatshirt and put on a face mask before snatching a large jerry can of gas from the truck and starting to run away.
“The suspect did not make it very far before being arrested,” said Const. Alex Berube. “He literally tried to run but couldn’t hide.”
The 38-year Langford man was later released and has a Feb. 10 court date.
jbell@timescolonist.com
