Two men are facing more than 40 charges following an alleged spree of auto break-ins last weekend.
According to New Westminster police, 55 New Westminster residents from nine separate apartment complexes around the city reported that their vehicles had been broken into on Nov. 18 and 19. Police say the suspects in the break-ins stole valuables in many of the cases and, in some cases, attempted to steal the vehicles themselves.
A troubling aspect in the two-day crime binge is that in all cases, the apartment parking areas were locked and secured. The suspects got into the parking lots either by gaining access to the building lobby or by damaging the gate and forcing their way in, police said.
The New Westminster police forensic identification squad worked with the operational support team to identify and arrest two suspects last week.
Charged are Curtis Ryan Crackle, 27, of no fixed address and Harley James Barich, 28, of Vancouver.
Crackle is facing 25 counts ranging from break and enter to theft under $5,000 and mischief under $5,000. Barich is facing 18 counts including break and enter, theft under $5,000, mischief under $5,000 and motor vehicle theft. Both remain in custody pending court dates in early December.
Sgt. Gary Weishaar said the arrests were important in bringing in two prolific offenders.
"Their arrests underscore the fact that so few people can be responsible for so much crime.
"It is with pleasure that we have taken these criminals off the street and halted their victimization of our city's citizens," he said.
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