New West residents helped police nab a break-and enter suspect in Sapperton.
On Aug. 20, the New Westminster Police Department responded to a 911 call from someone witnessing what they believed to be a break-and-enter in progress.
“Officers immediately responded to the Sapperton neighbourhood to search for the suspect. Moments later another call to 911 stated that someone matching the same description of the first suspect was trying to steal a scooter nearby,” said a NWPD press release. “Officers attended the scene, and the suspect was safely taken into custody.”
Wesley Spiekermann, a 50-year-old North Vancouver resident, has been charged with one count of break and enter, one count of theft under $5,000 and one count of obstruction of a police officer.
NWPD spokesperson Sgt. Sanjay Kumar said a homeowner arrived home and saw a suspect leaving the home through a basement window.
“Upon seeing this, the homeowner called police and our patrol members began looking for the suspect, who was located a short distance away, while attempting to steal a scooter from another residence,” Kumar said in an email to the Record. “Upon being arrested, Mr. Spiekermann refused to identify himself to our patrol members. His identity was later confirmed through his fingerprints.”
In a press release, the New Westminster Police Department thanked the Integrated Police Dog Service for its assistance. The department’s forensic identification services conducted a forensic analysis of the scene and evidence.
“We would like to thank the witnesses who knew to call 911,” Kumar said in a news release. “They provided timely and helpful information that allowed our officers to arrive on scene and make an arrest. This is an excellent reminder to every New Westminster resident that if something doesn’t seem right about a situation you are observing and you believe it is a crime in progress to call 911.”
For information on how to best secure your property, residents can contact the NWPD’s crime prevention coordinator at 604-529-2528 or [email protected].
