RCMP say officers in Manitoba responding to a theft in progress, turned up two stolen vehicles from Saskatchewan.

Pembina Valley RCMP say four suspects were at a rural private property earlier in the day last Saturday in the RM of Dufferin, Manitoba and returned that evening in two vehicles that were later confirmed to have been stolen from Watrous.

The property owner, a 66-year-old man was alerted to the activity by a motion camera and went to the area, where he observed suspects transferring fuel from a portable container into one of the stolen vehicles.

The property owner, who had a firearm, fired shots at the vehicles during a confrontation with the suspects.

Three suspects remained at the scene until officers arrived and took them into custody. Various items believed to have been stolen from the property were found in the back of the truck.

A fourth suspect fled the scene in the other vehicle, which was located the next morning in a canola field a few kilometres away. In addition to arresting two men and a woman in connection to the theft, the 66-year-old property owner was also arrested and is facing a half dozen firearm charges.