(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - The Nass Valley Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Detachment reported on the afternoon of January 21st recovering a 16 foot jet skiff in the small village of Klincolinth, B.C. According to the RCMP on scene, the boat was listed by Alaska State Troopers as stolen from the Unuk River area approximately 60 miles north from Ketchikan, Alaska.

Preliminary investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in the area identified a person of interest as John Peter Ollivier (46) of Prince of Wales Island. Ollivier has also lived in Washington and Oregon. Royal Canadian Mounted Police investigations discovered that Ollivier had allegedly illegally entered Canada while operating the stolen vessel. However, Ollivier departed the Klincolinth area shortly after his arrival and avoided initial questioning by Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Alaska State Troopers are looking into the possibility that Ollivier may also be involved in several cabin burglaries in the Unuk River area, no charges related to the theft or burglaries have been filed as of this date.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police, US Customs and Canadian Border Integrity officers began searching for Ollivier in the area of Terrace, B.C. after learning that Ollivier had obtained a ride there. RCMP discovered that Ollivier was declined passage onboard an outbound aircraft in Terrace, B.C. and then began hitchhiking southbound on Canadian highways toward Vancouver, B.C.

Alaska State Troopers traveled from Ketchikan to the Unuk River area on Monday the 28th of January on board the Alaska State Trooper P/V Enforcer to conduct a scene investigation. Alaska State Troopers documented several damaged cabins in the area.

Meanwhile a photo lineup which included Ollivier was conducted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Klincolinth, B.C. concerning the theft of the jet boat and Ollivier was positively identified by eyewitnesses as the sole occupant and operator of the vessel.

With this information, Alaska State Trooper Carlson obtained a $5,000 extraditable arrest warrant for Ollivier from the Ketchikan District Court regarding Theft 2nd degree.

Alert Canadian Border Service Agency (CBSA) agents at the Nelway, B.C. land crossing observed suspicious activity and investigated further. Ollivier was confirmed to be a passenger in a truck and he was taken into custody without incident.

Coordination between RCMP, Canadian Border Integrity officers and US Customs was conducted and arrangements made for Ollivier to be transferred over to US authorities in Washington State where he is currently being held awaiting extradition back to Alaska. Alaska State Troopers will travel to Washington State and return Ollivier to Alaska.

Edited by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News: 

Alaska Department of Public Safety
www.dps.state.ak.us

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