A 73-year-old man punched a Langley RCMP officer in the face, faked a carjacking, and was involved in several car thefts, Mounties say.

An investigation going back almost two years has led to two arrests and the seizure of a stolen trailer, trucks, and construction equipment, said Cpl. Holly Marks of the Langley RCMP.

In early 2011, a truck was reported stolen from a local property. The truck’s owner had left it with a friend for repairs, and the mechanic later said it had been stolen.

Then in March 2012, an elderly man took a new Dodge pickup for a test drive. A short time later he called the police to report he had been carjacked and the truck was stolen.

Later in the same month, the RCMP received a tip about a brand new Dodge truck parked in the trees on the same property associated with the mechanic. It was gone when an officer came by to check out the tip.

Wrapping up the events of March, a Caterpillar loader and Komatsu bulldozer were stolen from a local construction site.

The Street Enforcement Unit investigated, and eventually got a search warrant for the property occupied by the 73-year-old and the 30-year-old mechanic, in the 6600 block of 256th Street, said Marks.

The loader and bulldozer were both located, keys for the carjacked Dodge truck were found, and a large ICBC utility trailer, previously reported stolen, also turned up.

The Dodge was found at the home of one of the older man’s relatives.

When police arrived and announced they were there to execute a search warrant, the older man allegedly punched an officer in the face, Marks said.

The two men are both charged with theft of a motor vehicle and two counts of possession of stolen property.

Roeloff Dendryver, 73, is also charged with public mischief, assaulting a peace officer, and possession of stolen property, and Derek Hall, 30, is charged with theft of a motor vehicle, two counts of possession of stolen property, and public mischief.

The duo are scheduled to appear in Surrey Provincial Court on Oct. 29.