On January 15, at just before 5:00pm, the Fort St John RCMP received a report of two stolen wallets made by staff from a local hotel. A suspect was identified by police but not located at the time. 

On January 16, at 12:20am, the Fort St John RCMP received a report of a residential break and enter at a residence, where owners, who were just moving in, observed items that did not belong to them in the residence.

Front-line Fort St John RCMP officers attended and observed evidence that indicated that someone had been staying in the residence for some time. Numerous kitchen items as well as three pairs of shoes were stolen from the residence.

On January 16 at 4:30am the Fort St John RCMP were called to the Pomeroy Hotel located on the west side of Fort St John, after a report of a stolen white 2014 Ford shuttle van. Police attended and observed the stolen vehicle briefly as it fled the area. Through investigation police determined that a very large amount of audio and video equipment had also been stolen.

On January 16, at just before 6:00am, while front-line police officers were still on scene at the hotel, police received another call for a commercial break and enter in progress at a business in Montney, BC. The business owner observed a white 2014 Ford shuttle van at the back of the building and lights were on inside the business.

The Peace Region Police Dog Services unit was the first to arrive on scene. The suspect exited the building and once he realized that Police service dog (PSD) Mako was ready to work, the suspect immediately complied with police instructions. Front-line police officers attended shortly thereafter and assisted in taking the suspect, identified as Ryan Donald Large, into police custody.

Ryan Large

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

Evidence tying Large to the stolen wallets, residential break and enter report and the theft from the hotel was located on him and in the stolen shuttle van.

BC Crown Prosecution Service has approved charges of:

  • Break and Enter into a Dwelling House,
  • 3 counts of Theft under $5000,
  • Theft of Motor Vehicle,
  • Theft over $5000,
  • Dangerous Operation of a Conveyance,
  • Flight from Police,
  • Break and Enter,
  • Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, and
  • Possession of an Identity Document.

On January 17, 2023, Large was remanded until January 18, 2023.

Large had been arrested by the Fort St John RCMP on January 10, 2023, on his multiple outstanding warrants after being located in a stolen vehicle and held for court. Later that same day Large was released by the courts on a Release Order with a future court date of January 23, 2023.

Information provided by the Fort St. John RCMP