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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Employees for Chef Pierre's Catering had their work interrupted last Thursday night while unloading a cube van outside the Subway building on 51 Avenue.

At roughly 10 p.m., a man stole the van as it was being unloaded.

An employee at the nearby liquor store came outside and informed the catering employees, "Someone fell three times trying to get into your van," said Pierre LePage, owner of the van.

RCMP were alerted to the theft and conducted patrols downtown.

According to LePage, the thief took the van on an hour-long drive before returning to the scene.

"I don't know why, but he came back here," said LePage.

The man drove the van back to 50 Street near Reddi Mart.

LePage said he and two other employees were able to detain the man until police arrived.

"He was really intoxicated. It was pretty easy," LePage said.

He said it was the second time in nine years that one of the business' vehicles was stolen.

RCMP Const. Kathy Law said a man was taken into police custody without incident. She confirmed the man was "definitely intoxicated." She said even though LePage and the employees were able to detain the man while awaiting police to arrive, it is not a practice RCMP would recommend.

The constable said advising police of the whereabouts of a missing vehicle and following from a safe distance would be a safer thing for the public to do in a similar situation.

A 33-year-old man from Behchoko is facing charges of possession of stolen property, theft of a motor vehicle and operating a motor vehicle while impaired.