Grand Forks RCMP have recovered a truck and trailer filled with what they say was a family’s “entire life.”
Police say the family, including a one-year-old child, was staying at a motel on Central Avenue in Grand Forks while they were moving to the East Kootenay.
Early Saturday, someone swiped their Ford F350 truck and attached 18-foot enclosed cargo trailer.
Police say they followed up on a few leads throughout the day, including when one of the family’s credit cards was used as a downtown business.
Officers found a 41-year-old woman with the credit card, along with other stolen items. She was arrested and released on a promise to appear in court on April 5.
After the family posted about the incident on Facebook, police received a tip at about 2:30 p.m. that the truck and trailer were up the North Fork by Burrell Forest Service Road. Officers located the truck and trailer, with all of the family’s belongings present and accounted for.
Police say the crime is still under investigation and they believe other people were involved.
“A great effort was put into this file by my officers in actively investigating this matter throughout the day,” said detachment commander Sgt. Darryl Peppler. “The worry and despair that this family must have gone through is unimaginable, and we are just glad that we were able to recover their belongings.”
Peppler says police hope to make additional arrests and forward charges to Crown counsel.
If you have any information about this crime and have not yet spoken to police, you are asked to call the Grand Forks RCMP at 250-442-8288, or remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.