A pair of central Alberta men have been arrested for allegedly stealing a vehicle in Olds and then fleeing police.
The incident started Thursday, when an off-duty police officer noticed two males acting suspiciously in a residential area in Olds.
As the officer approached the males, they entered an SUV and fled. The officer reported the licence plate to the detachment, where it was learned the vehicle was stolen from Red Deer on Wednesday.
Later that morning, an on-duty officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the vehicle fled at a high rate of speed and the driving pattern posed a risk to the public.
A short time later, the same off-duty officer noticed the two individuals walking downtown, in different clothing.
Along with the on-duty officer, they surprised the suspects and were able to arrest them. The stolen SUV was located near the scene.
“The actions and persistence of these officers certainly speaks to the level of dedication they have to keeping their community safe, both on duty and off duty,” said Olds Staff Sgt. Jim MacDonald.
A 21-year-old from Disbury and a 20-year-old Red Deer male face several charges.