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Gone in 10 minutes: Large machine stolen from Kelowna worksite

The suspect was caught on video stealing the Skytrak Telehandler
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An orange Skytrak Telehandler was stolen from a construction site in Kelowna on the evening of March 19, 2023. (Kelowna RCMP/Submitted)

Kelowna RCMP are investigating the theft of quite a substantial construction vehicle on Sunday night (March 19).

Early in the morning of March 20, Brendon Rempel, the project manager for the targeted Optic Court worksite, was sent photos from a movement-triggered camera that was set up in the construction zone, that showed a man stealing a 40,000 pound Skytrak Telehandler 10054.

Rempel immediately rushed down to the job site on the 2100-block of Optic Court, saw that the large orange telehandler was missing, and checked the other security cameras.

Remple said that according to the security camera footage, a hooded man entered the job site at 9:17 p.m.

Footage then shows that the man broke the window on the telehandler and started it without a key. Remple explained that equipment like that has a one size fits all key and can be easily started with a different key or even a screwdriver.

After the machine was started, the man drove it off the site and into a semi truck that was waiting down the road.

Remple said that the loaded up semi pulled away at 9:22 p.m., less than 10 minutes after the man entered the site.

Anyone with dash-cam footage on Sunday between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. from the area or along Highway 97 N is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers with file number 2023-14822.

READ MORE: Another six-storey apartment planned for Kelowna’s Bernard Avenue


@thebrittwebster
brittany.webster@blackpress.ca

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