First Nations police SUV that ended up in Winnipeg was stolen in Waywayseecappo

A stolen First Nations police cruiser that ended up in Winnipeg has been traced back to a drunken disturbance almost 300 kilometres away.

On Tuesday, Winnipeg police arrested a man who had been driving a fully marked Ford Explorer belonging to the Manitoba First Nations Police Service. Const. Rob Carver said police useda tire-deflation device, known as a Stop Stick, to bring the stolen vehicle to a halt at the intersection of Dawson Road and Lagimodiere Boulevard.

At the time, Carver said Winnipeg police didn't know where the SUV had been stolen from.

The answer came on Wednesday, when the MFNPS said the vehicle was stolen after an officer responded to a report of a disturbance in Waywayseecappo, 281 km northwest of Winnipeg.

Police ride as getaway vehicle

According to a release from the MFNPS, the complaint came in at about 3 a.m. Tuesday, when a man reported three intoxicated males had broken into a van outside his home and wouldn't leave.

When the officer arrived, the men were acting aggressively and wouldn't follow instructions until he drew his Taser. At this point, two of the suspects complied, while the third suspect began to run.

During the chase and subsequent struggle to arrest the man, the officer heard someone enter his vehicle and saw one of the suspects behind the wheel as it sped off, according to the release.

With the help of a second MFNPS officer, police were eventually able to track down and arrest the second man, but didn't learn the whereabouts of the last remaining suspect until 7:15 a.m. when the cruiser was spotted heading toward Winnipeg by Headingley RCMP.

After eluding the RCMP, the stolen SUV was finally located in Winnipeg, with the help of information provided by one of the two suspects already in custody.

After being stopped and arrested by Winnipeg police, the man was charged with several offences, including theft of a motor vehicle, escaping lawful custody, mischief over $5,000 and impaired driving.

Of the two remaining suspects, one has also been charged with escaping lawful custody and theft of a motor vehicle, while the other is charged with resisting a peace officer and assault with intent to resist arrest. Both are also charged with mischief over $5,000.