Stolen Inuvik fire truck turns up over 100 kilometres away

Editor's note: This story was updated on Jan. 21 to include more details released by theRCMP regarding the suspect.

An Inuvik fire truck is back in its rightful place at the fire hall and undergoing damage assessments after it was nabbed Tuesday evening.

The truck in question was the Inuvik Fire Department's apparatus ladder 1, according to a news release sent Wednesday afternoon.

Between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, it's believed someone stole the 105-foot ladder truck, which was idling outside while fire crews had been working inside the fire hall bays.

After the truck was discovered missing, Inuvik RCMP were called and both fire and police began a "systematic search" in town and surrounding areas, including the Inuvik Tuktoyaktuk Highway, the Aklavik Ice Road, and sections of the Dempster Highway.

There were also contingency plans made to make sure the community had adequate fire support while the truck was missing, the release says.

Shortly after 10 p.m., police received a report of the missing truck spotted near Gwich'in Territorial Park. It was later found north of Tsiigehtchic, which is 129 kilometressouth of Inuvik.

An RCMP news release onThursday says police arrested a 43-year-old manon scene, who remains in custody. He faces four chargesincludingvehicle theftandimpaired driving.

There was minimal damage to the truck and it was able to be driven back to the Inuvik Fire Hall in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

'Could have been much worse'

The release says it is now undergoing further assessment for damages and functionality.

The replacement value ofthe 2011 model of the truck would have been more than $750,000should it not have been found or was more severely damaged.

"The Town of Inuvik and Inuvik Fire Department note that the outcome of this situation could have been much worse with devastating consequences," the release says.

"We do not consider the actions of this particular individual to be representative of our community."