Superintendent Kevin Hewco told RDOS directors this morning that it was a busy night in Penticton with the arrest of two major suspects in the auto theft trade in BC and associated gang members.

Local police and a special ICBC-RCMP team participated in a raid on a local hotel to make the arrests. Hewco identified a prolific offender Mathew Soper wanted on a number of outstanding warrants from the lower mainland was the main catch. Soper was bitten by a police dog and treated at the hospital before being booked into a jail cell.

Hewco says this will make a major dent into the crime (break and entry) problem in the South Okanagan. Many Mayors made the point to police that more such arrests are needed.

Sergeant Rick Dellebuur with Penticton RCMP has served 38 years and is set to retire.

But once retired he will then take over a civilian position as a regional community coordinator for Crime Stoppers and other pro active programmes says Hewco.