A 36-year-old man was arrested in Chilliwack, B.C., on Tuesday afternoon after police say he punched a puppy in the head and stole an SUV.
Undercover RCMP officers found a stolen 2010 Ford Expedition parked downtown with a separate stolen rear licence plate. The SUV had been stolen during the night from a Coquitlam dealer.
Police officers followed a suspect as he returned to the vehicle and began driving it to a Canadian Tire parking lot.
When the suspect got out of the car, police say he punched a young dog that was in the backseat.
The dog belonged to the suspect, and has been turned over to the SPCA, Sgt. Gord Elias of the Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team (IMPACT) told ctvbc.ca.
Elias said he doesn't know why the man hit the dog and that the animal was gentle with police officers.
Police are recommending numerous charges for vehicle theft, possession of stolen property and animal cruelty.
The suspect is wanted on several outstanding warrants out of New Brunswick, Alberta and Abbotsford. Police say he is also suspected of unsuccessfully attempting to steal a bait car on May 14 in Abbotsford.
Elias said that according to ICBC statistics, approximately 3,250 automobiles have been stolen in B.C. between January and the end of April, and that 2,500 of those were stolen in Metro Vancouver.
British Columbia is the fourth worst province for auto crime, but the province has seen six consecutive years of decline in theft.
