Last syrup heist suspect arrested

The last member of a gang associated with a series of massive maple syrup heists was arrested Tuesday morning by Quebec provincial police. 

Jean-François Bédard, 42, was arrested in Montreal after a hunt that lasted nearly a year.

• 15 more Quebec arrests in stolen maple syrup case

The man was wanted in connection with the theft of sweet sap from a warehouse in Saint-Louis-de-Blandford, about 95 kilometres southwest of Quebec City, between Aug. 1, 2011 and July 20, 2012.

At least 2700 tonnes of syrup had been siphoned off over the course of a year, with an estimated value of $18 million.

• Sticky-fingered bandits make off with 15,000 litres of Quebec maple syrup

During the investigation, the the Sûreté du Québec met with more than 300 people in the maple industry and the transport sector.

Searches were conducted in Quebec, New Brunswick, Ontario and the northeastern United States.

Two-thirds of the syrup was recovered.

• Maple syrup seized in Quebec theft probe to be released