Yellowknife (Jan 28/05) - A Yellowknife car thief forgot one key element in his plan to escape south: the Mackenzie River.

David Windle, 20, and another man were arrested in late November while they waited at the Fort Providence ferry crossing - minutes after they drove away from a service station in a stolen car without paying for gas.

On Tuesday in a Yellowknife courtroom, Windle pleaded guilty to three charges - including taking an automobile without consent and theft - in connection with the ill-conceived getaway plan.

He admitted that he and a friend took a sport utility vehicle from the driveway of a Yellowknife home on Nov. 24.

The yellow vehicle was idling while its owner ran inside to get her hockey equipment, Crown attorney Jonathan Burke told the court.

The vehicle was spotted hours later at the Big River service station in Fort Providence, where Windle rang up a $70 gas bill and left without paying.

The owner immediately called police. The two men were arrested less than two kilometres away while waiting for the ferry on the shores of the Mackenzie River.

Burke characterized the escape attempt as "not too intelligent" and added "only (Windle) knew where they were going."

Windle, who was on probation at the time, also pleaded guilty to breaching a court order.

Judge Bernadette Schmaltz fined him $1,100 and placed him on probation for six months.

She said he was fortunate not to get jail time. "This is a warning."

The other man involved is scheduled to appear in territorial court next month on similar charges.