(HOWICK, ON) – Huron County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and neighbouring OPP Detachments continue to search for a pickup truck that was stolen earlier today from a farm located on Gough Road just south of Wroxeter.
It all started this morning around 7:24 a.m. when the pickup truck owner started up his vehicle and left it unattended for a split second. The opportunistic thieves pulled up the laneway and two males got out of their white pickup with tinted windows and quickly jumped into the unattended truck. Just then the owner came outside and watched helplessly as both pickup trucks sped off of his property.
Shortly thereafter the stolen pickup truck was spotted by police being driving in a dangerous manner southbound near Walton. After that, around 8:35 a.m., a Huron OPP officer spotted the stolen truck travelling at a high rate of speed southbound on Morrison Line. The officer was able to follow the stolen truck into the north end of Exeter whereupon the driver proceeded to pull into a farm equipment dealership.
For a moment it looked like police were going to be able to contain the stolen vehicle however the driver rammed a police vehicle that was blocking an entrance. The suspect then drove through a barrier on the property and fled from police. From there the suspect vehicle travelled east into Perth County where it was spotted by several officers travelling in a dangerous manner. The last sighting of the suspect vehicle was around 9:25 a.m. when it was spotted by police speeding westbound out of Monkton on Line 55.
The stolen vehicle is described as a grey, 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 diesel with a black tonneau cover. Police believe there will also be fresh damage on the right rear side of the pickup.
Two males were observed in the stolen pickup.
The officer that was operating the rammed police vehicle sustained minor injuries in the collision. He attended a local hospital and has since been released.
Any person with information regarding this incident should immediately contact Huron OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or (519) 524-8314.
Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.