Travis Vader frequently stole trucks and made a habit of burning them afterwards, according to a star Crown witness who testified under heavy security Thursday in an Edmonton courtroom.

Dave Olsen walked into the courtroom flanked by sheriffs and RCMP officers. He appeared to be nervous and wore an ill-fitting suit. Throughout his testimony, two sheriffs stood at attention behind the witness box.

Court has been told that Olsen is under RCMP protection and was brought to Edmonton from an undisclosed location, and will return there once his testimony has concluded.

Travis Vader is on trial for first-degree murder in the deaths of an elderly St. Albert couple. (CBC)

Olsen told the court he met Vader in 2010 through a family member, and for a time they were together almost every day. He said they spent their time, "doing a lot of drug smoking, like meth. Drinking beer. Boxer Beer. Lucky. Pilsner Brew House. Whatever was cheapest, normally."

In 2010, Vader "was living all over the place" and didn't have a job, Olsen testified. He said he saw Vader's final paycheque for "around $100,000" and said that "three months later, it was all gone."

According to Olsen, Vader had a truck that developed transmission problems, then was eventually repossessed.

"How did he get around after that?" asked Crown prosecutor Ashley Finlayson.

"Stolen rides, mostly," Olsen answered. "I've seen him in as many as 25 to 30 different trucks. A lot of times he told me they were stolen. He even told me how he'd burn them."

Vader is on trial for first-degree murder in the deaths of Lyle and Marie McCann, who were last seen on July 3, 2010.

Court has been told about a stolen white pickup truck that was found burned, with the keys to the McCanns' Hyundai SUV tucked into the truck bed.

Olsen said around 10:30 a.m. on July 3, Vader visited him in the town of Peers, driving a truck that looked like the stolen white pickup.

'He told me he was broke'

"It was basically a quick stop," Olsen said. "He didn't stay long. He told me he was broke. He didn't even have money to buy his own oil for the truck. I had to give him my lawnmower oil."

Vader returned to Olsen's mobile home around 5 p.m. that day, this time driving a different vehicle. Olsen said Vader backed a light-green Hyundai SUV into Olsen's driveway, close to the front steps, then came inside the trailer.

Olsen described the SUV as "clean. Really clean. It looked like new."

By then, Vader had money.

"He took a small roll of bills out of his pocket," Olsen said. "I can't say for sure how much he had. And he sent me to the store with fifty bucks." 

Vader had money left over, and wanted Olsen to buy him beer and a $25 mobile phone card.

Olsen said he bought the phone card and a case of Boxer beer. That brand has featured prominently in the trial. Police later found a can with Vader's fingerprints and DNA in the front console of the McCanns' SUV.

The two men sat outside and drank beer. Olsen said Vader seemed "agitated, upset about something. I can't say. He mentioned Amber a lot."

Amber Williams was Vader's ex-girlfriend. Olsen said Vader wanted to buy the cellphone minutes in order to reach her.

After visiting for "an hour or two," Olsen said Vader drove off in the SUV.

"And that was the last time I seen that car," he said.

Ten days later, Olsen spotted a front page newspaper story about the missing St. Albert couple that referred to their burned-out motorhome and missing light-green Hyundai SUV.

By chance, RCMP stopped by Olsen's mobile home to make sure he was abiding by bail conditions. Olsen told them about seeing Vader in the SUV on the same day the McCanns disappeared.

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