Break and enters dominate new year for Penticton police

PENTICTON – With break and enters being reported nearly every day over the past week, Penticton RCMP have been kept busy as 2016 gets underway.

During a break and enter last Wednesday, Jan. 6, on Apex Mountain Road the front door of a residence was damaged. Video surveillance shows a truck on scene with a man attempting to pry open the front door with a crowbar, RCMP media spokesperson Cpl. Don Wrigglesworth says. A residence next door was entered through an open window. Police aren’t sure what was taken at this point.

On Jan. 7, a break and enter on Manitoba Street resulted in a Norco hardtail mountain bike and a collapsible golf bag push cart being taken.

Police responded to a break and enter on Roy Avenue Friday night, Jan. 8. The front door of a residence had been kicked in and jewelry taken.

Thieves gained entry to a Churchill Avenue property Sunday, Jan. 10, by prying a deadbolt. A neighbour’s garage door was also damaged.

Sometime over the weekend, the compound at Home Hardware was broken into. Several vehicles were broken into and ignitions tampered with.

On Monday night, Jan. 11, police received a call from an alarm company at a Centex gas station in Okanagan Falls. When they arrived, officers found a rear door kicked in and cigarettes stolen. Video surveillance cameras were not in operation at the time of the incident.

Police found a Chrysler 300, stolen earlier in the day, in a nearby alley. A man found in the vicinity had an outstanding warrant from Surrey and also had property out of the stolen Chrysler in his possession. A second man was found in possession of stolen credit cards. The two are in custody and police continue to investigate.

Around  5:15 a.m. today, Jan. 12, a door was pried open at the Pentagon Board Shop in Penticton. A number of Nixon brand watches were reported stolen.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.