Police get their man in Bike Barn, Three Gables thefts

PENTICTON – Penticton RCMP have solved two high profile commercial break and enters that took place in the city last month.

RCMP Cst. Chad Jackson says police have a suspect in custody following ongoing investigations involving uniformed and specialized units of the RCMP into a break and enter at The Bike Barn on March 13 and another at the Three Gables Liquor Store on March 28. Both thefts took place in the early morning hours.

Fifty to 60 high-quality sunglasses and two high-end mountain bikes were taken in the Bike Barn theft, and 500 packages of cigarettes were stolen from the Three Gables.

Jackson says Daryk Reinders, 38, was arrested while driving a vehicle police believe was also involved in the break-ins on March 29. The suspect had 30 packages of unopened cigarettes on him when arrested.

Penticton RCMP’s Targeted Enforcement Unit exercised a search warrant on Reinders’ residence the same day, where they found 50 pairs of Oakley sunglasses, still with Bike Barn price tags on them and two bicycles. Police also found 130 more unopened packages of various brands of cigarettes.

Jackson says it appears the suspect had been able to sell off the cigarettes quickly but was likely finding it harder to move the more expensive sunglasses.

Reinders appeared in court yesterday, April 3, on four counts of possession of stolen property and two counts of break and enter. He is currently in custody at Okanagan Correctional Centre.

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