The man believed to be responsible for a long list of break and enters to underground parkades throughout Victoria is now in custody.
Just before 3 a.m. Tuesday, Victoria police were called to a residential building in the 100 block of Kitma Road after a resident spotted a man gaining access to the secure underground parking area.
Officers searched the area, but weren't able to find the suspect. That's when a VicPD K9 team took over and the man was soon found hiding in the trunk of a vehicle he'd broken into.
“They sent in the dog and the dog pointed right to the trunk of the car,” said police spokesperson Bowen Osoko, noting the public was key in providing a good description of the suspect. “There's some good police work here, but some really good work on behalf of the public.”
Last week, police issued a public notice that contained photos of a person of interest, following reports of more than 28 break and enters into secure underground parking since the beginning of the year.
Police aren't releasing the method the suspect was using to break into the parking areas, but Osoko said it was done in a very specific way. Once inside, the culprit would steal various items from storage units and vehicles.
Since the notice was issued, police have received numerous reports from the public and believe the break and enters were possibly going on longer than initially reported. Anyone who has not yet spoken with investigators is asked to call 250-995-7654.
In the meantime, police said it's too early to determine whether one person was responsible for all the break and enters, but noted the man currently in custody fits the suspect description.
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