A 38-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman have been charged in connection with a forcible confinement incident that started with a call about a distraught person in Delta and resulted in Langley RCMP rescuing a woman in Aldergrove.

Just before noon on Dec. 7, Delta police were dispatched to the area of Highway 17 and Ladner Trunk Road for a report of a distraught person, explained Acting Insp. James Sandberg, public affairs manager for the Delta Police Department.

“Upon arrival, officers learned that a 21-year-old woman had been assaulted, robbed of her money and forcibly confined in a U-Haul van,” he said, adding the woman had escaped from the vehicle near Highway 17 and Ladner Trunk Road.

Officers also learned that another woman was being forcibly confined in the van and the DPD notified police in other nearby jurisdictions.

“The DPD took immediate action to locate the other remaining victim who was in the U-Haul van and allegedly being forcibly confined by a male and female suspect,” he said.

#NewsRelease – Update Regarding Forcible Confinement Investigation. A 38 year old man has been charged with nine counts, and a 28 year old woman has been charged with one count related to the forcible confinement investigation. Read release here: https://t.co/ePuj8u341O pic.twitter.com/RpbmI3qvFX

— Delta Police Department (@deltapolice) December 9, 2022

DPD officers came out to Aldergrove when Langley RCMP located the vehicle. Also involved were the Lower Mainland Integrated Emergency Response Team and Air 1.“The investigation resulted in the Langley RCMP locating the van in the Aldergrove area and arresting two occupants,” Sandberg said. “The second victim was located unharmed.”

The investigation is ongoing. The second victim is 32 years of age.

“I can confirm that none of the people involved are from Delta,” Sandberg said.

Dustin Engels has been charged with two counts of forcible confinement, two counts of assault, two counts of use of an imitation firearm, two counts of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, and one count of robbery.

The woman, Morgan Thompson, has been charged with a single count of robbery.

“The Delta Police want to emphasize that all people involved in this incident are known to each other. This incident was not a random incident and did not place the general public in any harm. This incident occurred as a result of conflict between known parties,” Sandberg said.

Engels and Thompson’s first court appearance was Friday, Dec. 9, and they are scheduled to appear again Dec. 12.

The pair remain in custody.