Fort St. John police dog nabs crime spree suspect

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A Fort St. John police dog recently helped apprehend Ryan Donald Large, who, according to the RCMP, was on a crime spree.

Large had also previously been arrested by the RCMP on January 10th on multiple outstanding warrants after being located in a stolen vehicle. He was released the same day on a release order with a future court date of January 23rd, 2023.

Just before 5 p.m. on January 15th, the Fort St. John police received a report about two stolen wallets. Mounties stated that the report was made by staff members of a local hotel.

The RCMP said that officers identified the suspect but couldn’t locate him, so they continued to investigate.

On January 16th at 12:20 a.m., police responded to a report of a break-in at a residence where the owners, who had just begun to move in, found items that didn’t belong to them in the home.

When responding officers attended the scene, they reportedly discovered evidence indicating that someone had been staying at the residence for some time. Police added that the suspect took multiple kitchen items and three pairs of shoes from the home.

A few hours later, at 4:30 a.m., officers were called to the Pomeroy Hotel on the west side of Fort St. John after receiving a report about a stolen white 2014 Ford shuttle van. Police attended and briefly witnessed someone in the stolen vehicle flee the area.

RCMP determined that the suspect had absconded with a “very large amount” of audio and video equipment.

Shortly before 6 a.m., while front-line officers were still at the scene of the hotel, police got another call, this time for a commercial break-in in progress at a Montney business. The owner of the business saw the stolen white van at the back of the building, and the lights were on inside the business.

The Peace Region Police Dog Services unit was reportedly the first to arrive at the scene. Police said that the suspect left the building and, after seeing Mako, the police dog, immediately complied with the officer’s instructions.

Front-line officers attended shortly afterwards and took the suspect, identified as Ryan Donald Large, into custody.

“Mako has only been attached to the Fort St John RMCP Detachment since December of last year but he and his handler are already making an impact,” said Constable Chad Neustaeter, Media Relations Officer for the Fort St John RCMP.

“Mako is always ready to work and he took Ryan Large into custody, ending the crime spree.”

RCMP said that evidence was found in the stolen shuttle van that tied Large to the stolen wallets and the break-in.

In a release, police said that the BC Crown Prosecution Service has approved multiple charges against Large including, break and entering into a dwelling house, theft of a motor vehicle, dangerous operation of a conveyance, flight from police, break and entering, possession of property attained by a crime, possession of an identity document, theft over $5000, and three counts of theft under $5000.