SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A Yellowknife resident took his new truck in for an oil change and lost two headlights in an early-evening robbery outside of Old Town Tire and Lube on Saturday, Oct. 17.

Rick Fair and Peter Pagonis spent $300 each replacing the two headlights on Fair's new truck after they were stolen from the vehicle on Saturday outside of Old Town Tire and Lube. - Elizabeth McMillan/NNSL Photo

The vehicle's owner, Rick Fair, said he was shocked when he heard what happened.

"It's so well lit. Someone needed those parts bad to take a chance like that," he said. "I couldn't even imagine, I thought he was joking when Pete told me the headlights were gone."

The business's owner Peter Pagonis was servicing the vehicle when he left for dinner. He said he never leaves vehicles unlocked but Fair asked him to and assured him he'd be by shortly.

The incident happened between 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Saturday night. The truck was parked beside a street light outside the business on School Draw Road.

The only other items stolen from the truck were some small hand tools, valued at around $150.

The replacement lights cost $575. Because of their close working relationship, Pagonis and Fair split the cost.

They reported the incident to police but were not optimistic the person will be caught.

"I've never had any problems in 35 years," Pagonis said, adding it was unusual for someone to take headlights.

"They'd only suit this kind of truck," he said.

Pagonis said it's not difficult to remove headlights from a vehicle if an individual had seen it done before.

"You put two switches once the hood is up. It would take 30 seconds," added Fair. He bought the Chevrolet 3500 one-tonne truck two weeks ago.

Pagonis said he suspects the person who took the headlights was involved in a hit and run that happened earlier Saturday on Finlayson Drive.

"It's quite the coincidence as a truck was speeding away from an accident the same day. We think it was someone looking for parts because they couldn't be caught buying them somewhere."