Vancouver police is reminding residents to be mindful of leaving door and windows open as temperatures rise after two people were arrested in connection with a daytime break in earlier this week.
At around 1 p.m. on May 15, a 49-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman allegedly broke into a home near Victoria Drive and East 49th Avenue. An elderly woman was napping inside while her husband was working in the garden. The suspects have been charged with break-and-enter and possession of stolen property.
“This is an important reminder that thieves will take any opportunity to steal from a home or garden, whether your home or not,” media relations officer Const. Steve Addison said in a news release.
While the number of residential break-ins is down this spring compared to last year, the number of cases involving entry through unlocked windows and doors has spiked in the last six weeks. Police are attributing the increase to the recent warmer weather.
“While locking windows and doors is important, people should also remember to put away valuables, such as bikes, garden tools and recyclables,” Addison said. “These are all things that could attract thieves I left outside.”
The warning is part of a proactive campaign aimed at preventing property crime and so-called “green thumb” break-ins, where thieves enter through unlocked doors or windows of homes while the residents are busy working outside. In some cases, an accomplice will distract the victims on one side of the house while thieves enter from another side.
Vancouver Police Department is encouraging all residents to help prevent property crime by talking to neighbours, joining a Blockwatch program and calling 911 immediately if they witness a crime or see something suspicious.
@JessicaEKerr
