Man charged after truck stolen, residents threatened with firearm in Kings County

A 33-year-old man from Harmony, N.S., has been charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle after a truck was stolen, leading to several other incidents in the area.

Kings District RCMP say in a news release that they received a complaint on Sunday at 7 p.m. about a Ford Ranger doing burnouts in nearby Tremont. During the search, they learned the truck had been reported stolen early Sunday morning from the Torbrook area of Annapolis County.

At 8:20 p.m. that evening, police say they received a report of a hit-and-run on Harmony Road in Nicholsville. They say two people in a Jeep Wrangler had been searching for the stolen vehicle when they found it and the suspect.

Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay said in an interview on Thursday that the suspect rammed the Ranger into the Wrangler. The driver of the Wrangler got out of the vehicle to confront the suspect and was thrown to the ground when the suspect drove the Ranger into them.

The suspect then fled the scene. The driver of the Wrangler was sent to hospital with serious injuries.

Shortly afterward, RCMP learned that two other people were at a property on Canaan Road in Morristown, looking for the stolen Ranger. The complainant had seen them driving a station wagon, trying to catch the Ranger, which was driving recklessly.

Around 9:20 p.m., RCMP found the unoccupied Ford Ranger on a trail in Auburn. The Mounties' dog services were then called in to help. A short time late RCMP say they received a report of a possible shooting on Aylesford Road. A man driving a Kia Forte had been chasing the stolen Ford Ranger when the driver in the Ranger rammed the Forte.

The suspect in the Ranger brandished a firearm and shot at the driver of the Forte before driving off, police say. The driver of the Forte suffered minor injuries but no bullet wounds. Tremblay says the person who was shot at knew the suspect.

Further charges expected 

The Nova Scotia RCMP Emergency Response Team was called in and a police-dog unit led them to a home on Highway 1 in Auburn. The suspect wasn't located but police were able to learn his identity.

He was arrested on Tuesday when officers found him at another home in the area.

He's been charged with dangerous operation of a conveyance causing bodily harm and possession of property obtained by crime. He appeared in Kentville Provincial Court and was remanded into custody. His next court date is scheduled for Aug. 1.

RCMP say further charges are expected to be laid in the case.

In the release, they also caution that many of the incidents occurred due to vigilantism, calling it "risky and dangerous behaviour that will not be tolerated."

Tremblay says many of the people who were pursuing the suspect knew the owner of the truck and had learned it had been stolen via social media.

He says residents should leave situations like this to police.

"It can be very dangerous. And, not to mention, you might be committing some criminal offences yourself if you're driving recklessly, operating your vehicle in dangerous manner or speeding," he says. "Or you might be involved in a collision with someone else.... So you're putting the public at risk and yourself when you're doing those things."