IN what may seem like a scene from a crime caper movie, thieves on the North Shore have been cutting through walls and dismantling security systems to carry out thefts.
North Vancouver RCMP are investigating a spate of break-and-enters, in which five businesses around town were hit between Friday night and Sunday morning.
In four of the five cases, the thieves got inside their victims stores by cutting holes through the adjacent walls, and in some instances, they dismantled alarms, motion lights, surveillance cameras and the main power. Police say its likely the same culprits are responsible for each crime.
Thieves committed the first break-in around 4 a.m. Friday at the United Royal Currency Exchange on Lonsdale Avenue at 15th Street. They made off with two small safes containing an undisclosed amount of cash, along with a laptop computer and leather jacket.
Also during the late night or early morning, the thieves made off with several thousand dollars worth of merchandise and a computer from the high-end athletic shoe store Kintec on Marine Drive.
They are also suspected of breaking into the North Shore Autowash on Main Street, but the culprits in that case only tampered with the businesss circuit panel.
They struck again at the Lynn Valley Centre sometime Saturday night where they tried and failed to unbolt an ATM from the ground.
Finally, the thieves tripped the alarm at the Tri-Diamond & Gold Jewellery store on Lonsdale Avenue at 15th Street. They pocketed an undisclosed amount of jewellery before police arrived.
All investigative resources are being utilized to identify the culprits responsible for this very unusual string of break and enters, said Cpl. Richard De Jong, spokesperson for the North Vancouver RCMP, in a release.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the North Vancouver RCMP at 604-985-1311.
