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Hapless hitchhiker gets free ride - to jail

Rule number one for criminals fleeing the scene of a crime: Do not ask the police for a ride.

Rule number one for criminals fleeing the scene of a crime: Do not ask the police for a ride.

A 40-year-old Kamloops man is facing charges of break-and-enter and possession of stolen property after asking a Chilliwack RCMP officer for a ride to his friend's house in Hope.

The man had been hitchhiking on the freeway near Bridal Falls near midnight on April 1, when a woman concerned about his safety called police.

The Chilliwack RCMP officer who answered the call agreed to drive the man to Hope - but first, for safety reasons, he had to check the duffel bag the man was carrying.

A plastic jug containing some loose change was found inside the duffel bag.

On the way to Hope, the man mentioned to the officer that a trucker had just dropped him off at the Bridal Falls gas station.

Minutes later, the officer heard over the police radio that a trailer at the gas station had been broken into - and a plastic jar of loose change taken.

The hapless hitchhiker was arrested.

"These are things that our members do on a daily basis," Cpl. Tammy Hollingsworth said. "A good gut and a good sense for police work are key."

She said the RCMP wished to thank the woman who reported the man in dark clothing walking along the highway, and her concern for his safety.

 

The Kamloops man, maybe not so much.