Man, woman charged after Nanaimo RCMP recover stolen truck

A Nanaimo RCMP vehicle is shown. (CTV News)

A man and a woman from B.C.'s Lower Mainland are facing criminal charges after Mounties on Vancouver Island recovered a stolen pickup truck, according to police.

The Nanaimo RCMP says officers were called around 2:30 a.m. on March 22 when a Comox, B.C., homeowner saw two people steal his 2021 Ford F150 pickup from his driveway.

Police attended the scene but were unable to locate either the truck or the thieves, the Nanaimo RCMP said in a news release Tuesday.

Later that morning, the homeowner was able to track his vehicle's GPS location to an address on Stewart Avenue in Nanaimo, police said.

"Officers quickly surrounded the home and, sure enough, the truck and thieves were located," according to the release.

Westin Ferguson, 23, is facing charges of theft, possession of stolen property and possession of a prohibited weapon (brass knuckles), while co-accused Justice Mckay-Saul, 27, is charged with possession of stolen property, the RCMP said.

Both suspects were released from custody pending a scheduled court appearance in Nanaimo on April 9.

Police said the truck's owner made his way to Nanaimo to retrieve his vehicle.

"Needless to say, he was extremely grateful for the quick arrest and to have his truck recovered and undamaged," said Nanaimo RCMP spokesperson Gary O'Brien.