By Dominic Abassi

Harris family boat recovered in Port McNeill, suspect arrested

Jul 14, 2018 | 11:56 AM

NANAIMO — After involvement from RCMP detachments spanning almost all of Vancouver Island and an explosion of social media reaction, a suspect was arrested and a boat belonging to the late Tom Harris recovered.

Tony Harris said RCMP called him on Friday night, a little more than a week after the $130,000 boat was brazenly driven out of his brother’s driveway in broad daylight near Pipers Lagoon on July 5.

“They said ‘Do you want the good news or the good news?,’” Harris told NanaimoNewsNOW.

Harris said Mounties told him the suspect was arrested in Chemainus in a takedown involving the RCMP’s Emergency Response Team. After questioning the suspect, they were able to find the boat hidden in deep brush about 13 kilometres down a mainline logging road in Port McNeill.

The boat had some scratches, but otherwise appeared to be in good shape, Harris said.

permanent home

'We're hugely grateful:' Nanaimo Men's Shed group finds a place to call home

3h ago

Making an impact

Nanaimo woman publishes books to open awareness of neurodiverse children

15h ago

iconic voice

Legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole, a welcome voice for a half-century, dead at 90

22h ago

“I couldn’t be more impressed with the RCMP, how they stuck with this, coordinated all the detachments on the island. And of course, the community at large. This is a really good news story on the power of social media when people come together and share information.”

Social media posts about the theft went viral late last week, with security camera footage garnering more than 400,000 views on Facebook. A post on Harris’ Facebook page alone was shared more than 10,000 times.

Harris said police and the public quickly connected the truck used in the theft to a truck reported stolen out of the Cowichan Valley earlier in July.

On July 6, North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP issued a statement asking for help finding a man wanted for multiple charges, including flight from police. The statement said the suspect was last known to be driving two stolen trucks.

The truck in the RCMP statement appeared to be the same one shown on the security camera video backing into Harris’ brother’s driveway, hooking up the boat and driving away.

Days after the boat was taken, a major tip came in.

“A tour company operator from Port McNeill was our first big assist. He had spoken to the suspects up there, they were looking for gas and (allegedly) had both trucks reported stolen and the boat,” Harris said. “That really shifted things into another gear for the police.”

Harris said police told him the arrest made in Chemainus was connected to the boat theft, the stolen trucks and several other incidents in a crime spree believed to have covered much of the island over nearly two weeks.

RCMP did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Harris said he could not be more thankful to the police and community at large for their efforts, adding he and his wife were overwhelmed with messages of support and tips.

He said the boat will be in the water escorting the Harris Auto Group tub in next weekend’s bathtub race, as it has so many times before.

dom@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @domabassi