Cold weather left an opportunity for crime last week.

A resident of Foul Bay Road left his minivan unlocked and running to  warm it up at 7:30 in the morning on Nov. 24 and when he next looked out of his house, the van was gone.

As the owner was reporting his van stolen, Saanich police received a report of a single vehicle crash on Cedar Hill Cross Road. Sure enough, said police, the stolen van from Oak Bay was involved in the Saanich crash.

Witnesses provided a good description of the man who had been driving the van and had fled the scene. Around 8 a.m. a member of the Oak Bay police located a man matching the description on Shelbourne Street. The 21-year-old was arrested for the theft of the vehicle. He was later released with a court date next month.