Inuvik fire truck stolen, taken for 130 km joyride

An Inuvik fire truck was stolen by a resident on Tuesday evening and driven nearly 130 km south of the town before being recovered.

Town fire chief Cynthia Hammond said her department’s 105-foot ladder truck went missing as it idled outside the fire hall between 7:30pm and 8:30pm while staff worked nearby.

With the vehicle reported stolen, police and fire department staff carried out a “systematic search” of the town, the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk highway, Aklavik Ice Road, and sections of the Dempster Highway.

The vehicle was eventually located 129 km south of Inuvik, in an area just north of Tsiigehtchic.

One person was apprehended at the scene and is currently in police custody, Hammond said. RCMP are expected to provide more information shortly.

The truck was driven back to Inuvik on Wednesday morning and the damage is being assessed. The town said only minor damage has been noted so far.

The replacement value of the vehicle, a 2011 model, was placed by the town at more than $750,000.

“The Town of Inuvik and Inuvik Fire Department note that the outcome of this situation could have been much worse with devastating consequences,” the news release stated.

“We do not consider the actions of this particular individual to be representative of our community. We believe our residents share our serious concerns about the theft of a vital emergency response vehicle.

“We wish to thank the RCMP, fire personnel and community members who assisted in safely locating the truck and returning it to the fire hall.”

The town encouraged anyone with information regarding the incident to contact Inuvik police.