Dawn Ostrem
Northern News Services

Yellowknife ( May 17/00) - Saturday may have seemed like just another day to Sub Arctic surveyor Anil Hayne while working just outside Yellowknife on the Ingraham Trail, but it wasn't.

When one of the company trucks drove by him, he almost waved thinking it was his boss, but his hand stopped when he realized someone was stealing it.

"I almost waved to him because I thought that it was Bruce," he said.

Bruce Hewlko, owner of Sub Arctic Surveys, said he had two employees doing a job along the Yellowknife access highway from the Explorer Hotel to a power sub-station. One of the trucks was just off the edge of the road and out of sight of the workers.

"The individual must have walked up to the truck, saw that the keys were in it, hopped in and just took off," Hewlko said. "He drove right past (Hayne).

"He seemed to just drive normally but when he saw one of the fellows on the side of the road he sped up."

Hewlko went on to explain that "one of the fellows ran to Yellowknife Motors to call me and see if I'd lent the truck to anyone," and when it was confirmed that Hewlko hadn't, they reported the incident to Yellowknife RCMP.

The truck was eventually found along Highway 3 on the way to Rae two-and-a-half hours later, but missing was $5,440 worth of surveying equipment. Also missing were items such as a pair of rubber boots and a shovel.

"Most of the items they took -- some would make sense because they're valuable," Hewlko said. "But other items like rubber boots?"

The items stolen included a levelling instrument, tripod, triple prism, peanut prism, a light green triback, metal detector, survey chain and tools such as hatchets and a sledge hammer, as well as the vehicles keys.

The suspect has been described as male, in his late 30s or 40s with a wide, bushy moustache. He had thick, dark brown hair, was of medium build and appeared to be tall sitting in the truck.

Anyone who has information is asked to call Const. Brian Anderson or Crime Stoppers.