Just because your car is in an underground parkade, doesn’t mean you should leave it unlocked with valuables inside.
Two men are facing charges after police say they were caught in the act rummaging through vehicles in a Lower Lonsdale apartment garage. A witness heard a disturbance coming from the underground of her building on the 200-block of West Fourth Street around 5 a.m. Jan. 25 and called 9-1-1.
“We’re still taking some statements and finding out exactly what happened but suffice to say, they were caught in the act by the time police got there,” said Cpl. Richard De Jong, North Vancouver RCMP spokesman.
The suspects fled on foot but police caught and arrested them after a short chase. Without a witness calling police, the two likely wouldn’t have been caught, De Jong said. Among the easy pickings left in unlocked vehicles: personal ID, a phone and wallet.
“Don’t leave valuables in your car and leave your car locked. That’s two key things for this kind of offence,” De Jong said.
Investigators are looking to see if any other vehicles were targeted during the night, De Jong said.
Jackson Leo, 27, is now charged with breaking and entering, possession of break-and-enter tools, identity theft, resisting arrest and breach of a court order. Collin Campbell, 19, is charged with breaking and entering, resisting arrest and breaching a court order.
The two were in custody pending bail hearings on March 2. Both are known to police, De Jong said.
Police are preparing a campaign targeting similar types of property crimes, which tend to go up in the spring. “We’re at that time of year when the days will get long and the weather’s going to warm up. People are out walking around more,” he said. “Right now we’re looking at bicycle theft and (theft from autos) as our priority for prevention and enforcement.”
