Police were unable to stop two stolen vehicles Friday morning after a chase that lasted several hours took them throughout Saskatoon and even outside city limits.
A pickup truck reported stolen from the city’s Stonebridge neighbourhood at 5 a.m. was spotted by Saskatoon police shortly after on Idylwyld Drive. Police chased the truck but quickly abandoned pursuit, according to a media release from Saskatoon Police Service.
A spokesperson for SPS said chases are abandoned if they pose a risk to the public, to the driver being chased or to officers.
The truck was observed a short time later at 5:30 a.m. driving on 33rd Street. Police used a spike belt to puncture the truck’s tires and shortly after found the truck abandoned on Howell Avenue.
Canine units used to search the area were unable to find the suspect, but police believe a Honda Civic stolen from the area during the search was stolen by the suspect.
Police chased the Honda Civic westbound on 33rd Street but gave up the chase after the vehicle left city limits.
An unmarked police car that spotted the Honda Civic travelling north out of Saskatoon followed the vehicle from a distance but did not attempt to stop the driver. RCMP assisted the pursuit through a few small Saskatchewan communities before the vehicle headed back to Saskatoon just before 8 a.m.
Saskatoon police again laid a spike belt but this time they were unable to stop the vehicle. Officers chased the stolen car towards Saskatoon but again gave up pursuit due to safety concerns.
An SPS spokesperson said the chase was abandoned as rush hour traffic filled the city’s streets and posed a greater risk to the public.
The suspect has yet to be found and police continue to investigate the stolen vehicles.
