Throughout August, dozens of North Vancouver truck drivers tried to start their rigs only to find batteries were not included.
The cause, according to police, was a single thief who swiped 70 truck batteries in 31 days.
But the one-month battery bonanza hit a negative terminal Sept. 7 when police arrested a 51-year-old Surrey man for the thefts, reported North Vancouver RCMP spokesman Cpl. Richard De Jong.
“Under the cover of darkness,” the man assaulted batteries from commercial trucks parked in industrial spots across North Vancouver, according to De Jong.
The thief kept going and going and going, according to police.
“Some nights it was multiples,” De Jong said. “It was a busy month for him.”
Surveillance video captured images of the suspect driving from the scene of a late-night crime in a 2005 GMC Canyon, De Jong said.
Based on an approximate per-battery cost of $250, police estimate the total value of the spree was $17,500.
Police believe the suspect sold the batteries to a salvage company. However, it’s unlikely any of the stolen goods will be returned unless the batteries can be identified, according to De Jong.
Police have recommended theft charges.
The accused is set to appear in court Nov. 14.
Following his arrest, the suspect was released on several conditions including a promise not to set foot in North Vancouver.
