A routine traffic stop Friday night turned into an eventful experience after police discovered the vehicle was uninsured, the driver was without a license and the carcass of a dead moose was in the back of a van.
An officer with the Integrated Road Safety Unit was in the area of the Pat Bay Highway and Royal Oak Avenue. The police vehicle was equipped with a license plate reader that automatically scans passing cars.
The device flagged the van, prompting the police officer to make the stop.
When he did, he quickly determined the vehicle was displaying a stolen licence plate decal to appear insured, and the driver didn’t have a valid licence.
“When the officer looked in the vehicle he could see something covered in the back of the van with a large tarp,” said Sgt. Graeme LeBlanc with IRSU.
“When he looked underneath it, he found a moose – completely skinned, with the hooves and head chopped off.”
The driver also did not have a hunting permit. He’s facing $875 in fines for just his traffic tickets.
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service is also investigating.
kslavin@saanichnews.com
