A 32-year-old Surrey man has been arrested after a hit and run followed by a police chase in downtown Langley City.

The incident began in the rural Township at about 10:15 p.m. when the RCMP were called about a Chevrolet Cavalier being hit by a U-Haul truck at 240th Street and Fraser Highway.

The Cavalier driver was not seriously hurt, but was taken to a local hospital, said Cpl. Holly Marks of the Langley RCMP.

The U-Haul headed north on 240th, trailed by three witnesses to the crash. The witnesses stayed in contact with the police and helped an officer find the U-Haul in the City, near Glover Road and Logan Avenue, said Marks.

An officer fired up his lights and sirens and pulled the truck over near the Cascades Casino, but the truck pulled away as the officer walked towards it from his cruiser.

The officer kept following the U-Haul through several turns, until it slowed down in the 20700 block of the Langley Bypass and the driver hopped out.

The truck, still in gear, hit a parked vehicle, a Ford Ranger, and the bay door to a commercial building, said Marks.

The officer then chased down the suspected driver, finding him hiding in a garbage bin.

The suspect has already been arrested for a breach of conditions of his release, and for driving while prohibited, and may face a number of other charges. An investigation is ongoing.

Some unusual items were found in the back of the U-Haul, Marks said.

A number of jerry cans and hoses were found in the truck, and the smell of gasoline was very strong.

While police cannot say for certain that the cans were used for siphoning gas, theft from gas tanks has become a major problem in Langley in recent months.

The thefts do not seem to be limited to one part of town, and thieves are hitting any car in residential areas, Marks said.

Police can only encourage those who can’t park inside to try and park in a well-lit area, and report anyone who seems to be lurking around vehicles in their area, Marks said.