Family Day didn't start out well for a man suspected of stealing a bait car in View Royal.

A Victoria police dog handler, with the help of his canine companion, arrested a 45-year-old man on Frances Street in the city shortly after midnight Monday, after the vehicle he was driving was tracked using GPS.

The man appeared in court today (Feb. 9) to face charges relating to auto theft.

The bait car, a tool provided by the Surrey-based Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team (IMPACT), was stolen in View Royal. Once it was removed from the location, police immediately gained such real-time information as location, speed and direction of travel, which allowed officers to track the vehicle.

The incident was monitored in a joint effort between West Shore RCMP, VicPD and the Saanich Police Department.

B次元官网网址淭he partnership and co-ordination with VicPD and Saanich PD led to a successful outcome in this investigation,B次元官网网址� said Const. Alex B茅rub茅, spokesperson for West Shore RCMP.

The suspect did not initially comply with police orders at the end of the incident and the police dog was needed to secure him and take him into custody.

IMPACT includes specialized police auto theft investigators and operates and manages the bait car program across the province.

editor@goldstreamgazette.com