How sticky-fingered thieves use hot glue to find break-in targets in Vancouver

VANCOUVER — Police in Vancouver are warning apartment residents of thieves using strands of hot glue to select which units they will break into.

Vancouver police say that 10 apartment units in five separate buildings in the city and nearby Burnaby reported such break-and-enters between Aug. 9 and Dec. 24 of last year.

Police say the suspects begin by entering the buildings at nighttime and applying hot glue to the top corner of the units’ doors, stretching strands of glue between the door and the frame.

Investigators say the thieves return later to inspect the doors, checking if the strands are broken, indicating that the door has been opened and the unit is occupied.

Units where the glue strands were intact were then broken into after a few days.

Police say similar cases have been reported in Ontario and Alberta, and investigators believe the suspects are targeting older apartment buildings that have “limited” security measures.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 3, 2026.