Residents of New Westminster's Brow of the Hill neighbourhood may have noticed a helicopter circling the area late Wednesday night as police were searching for a driver who fled his vehicle during a traffic stop.
According to Sgt. Diana McDaniel, the New Westminster officer was in his police car writing up a ticket when the driver he had pulled over hopped out of his vehicle and fled the scene on foot.
The officer requested back up from the department and a perimeter surrounding the areas of Sixth and Fourth avenues and Seventh and Eighth streets was set up.
McDaniel said the assistance of Air1, the department's helicopter, was also called in to assist in locating the individual.
According to residents in the area, the helicopter circled for about 40 minutes between 9 and 10 p.m.
During that time the driver was never found, McDaniel said.
"A female came back to the vehicle and had keys so (officers) were thinking the male got to the female, got her the keys and then she came to drive the vehicle away," McDaniel said.
Police are still investigating and have yet to locate the man, or determine why he fled.
