Three people were arrested after taking a stolen vehicle for an expensive joyride in a Saanich park on Thursday.
Saanich police were called to James Houlihan Park off Ferndale Road around 1:15 p.m. after witnesses reported seeing an SUV carving doughnuts in the field, causing about $2,000 in damage.
When the vehicle became stuck in the mud, three people were seen abandoning the Toyota 4Runner and leaving on foot.
Officers located three suspects based on a description given by a witness.
Police discovered that the vehicle’s owner had reported it stolen from Victoria earlier in the day.
“We don’t know at this point why they decided to drive into the field, but the actions they took were certainly very foolish and reckless in nature,” said Const. Markus Anastasiades.
“We would like to thank the witnesses who provided detailed information that helped us locate the individuals responsible.”
Two men and one woman are facing charges of mischief under $5,000 and possession of stolen property under $5,000.
Saanich police will work with Victoria police to investigate the vehicle theft.
