The RCMP had an eye in the sky over Sicamous last Friday as they searched for a suspect in an attempted boat theft. 

At approximately 9 a.m. on Aug. 9, the Vernon-North Okanagan detachment (VNOD) received a report about an attempted theft of a houseboat that had occurred earlier that morning on the Shuswap River in Grindrod. Video surveillance showed a suspect untying and taking the boat at around 5 a.m. 

The boat was later found abandoned and stuck on a sandbar further up river, and was recovered by the owner. 

Vernon Const. Chris Terleski confirmed that air services had been enlisted to help, with the Sicamous detachment also involved as the search became concentrated there.

"The helicopter made several passes over Sicamous while police searched for the suspect who was believed to have been living in Sicamous," Sgt. Murray McNeil said in a statement. 

Terleski said no arrests have been made, and the incident remains under investigation. 

Suspect arrested

On Tuesday, Aug. 13, at approximately 7 p.m., VNOD officers were called out to that area again, with the Police Dog Service and members of the Emergency Response Team all converging on a location in the Riverside Road area of Mara. The response came after police received information that a suspect wanted in relation to another investigation had been seen in the area.

"As police closed in, the suspect fled, leading officers on a chase through fields and across the river," Terleski said in a media release."The suspect was apprehended by our Police Dog Service team without incident."

He added that Alexander Boucher, 40, has been charged with several offences in relation to the incident, including two counts of theft of a motor vehicle, theft under $5,000, failing to stop for police, and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.

Boucher remains in custody until his next court date on Friday, Aug. 16 when he'll be appearing before a judge in Kamloops. 

In 2020, Alexander Vittal Boucher was one of three men charged with attempted murder, assault with a weapon, wounding or endangering life, and robbery with a firearm after a man appeared at a Blind Bay home, covered in blood, looking for help.  On Aug. 30, 2021 in BC Supreme Court, the first day of Boucher鈥檚 trial, Crown counsel stayed the charges. Crown counsel Alison Buchanan told the Observer that prosecution was discontinued because the victim didn鈥檛 show up for the trial.