Penticton RCMP nab prolific Lower Mainland offenders

PENTICTON – Penticton RCMP had a busy but successful night  May 6.

Police previously responded to a number of break ins of both vehicles and residences in Okanagan Falls and Penticton on May 5, where identification, credit and bank cards, cash, jewellery, garage door remotes, keys and various other items were taken.

Investigation revealed a number of the credit and bank cards were quickly used in Penticton. A possible suspect vehicle was identified by police, believed stolen out of White Rock. Penticton was assisted in the investigation by members of the Integraed Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team  (IMPACT) who helped the Penticton Crime Reduction Unit in the investigation.

The suspect vehicle was discovered at the Best Western Inn in Penticton. Two of the suspects had 17 outstanding warrants for their arrest stemming from numerous offences committed in the Lower Mainland and Okanagan over the past few months.

The Kelowna RCMP Street Enforcement Team was also brought in to assist in the arrest of these suspects.

The numerous police units moved in on the suspects at 1 a.m this morning, May 7. One of the men fled and was noted to discard a loaded handgun in a nearby bush. He was pursued by a police service dog and apprehended. Another man and two women were also arrested without incident.

Twenty-eight year old Matthew Soper and 21 year old Laetitia Acera,  well known offenders in the Lower Mainland were arrested. as was a second man who was released pending further investigation.

Soper and Acera were on IMPACT’s “Top Ten” list as most wanted vehicle crime offenders and Soper was on Surrey’s most wanted list.

Soper and Acera and the second woman remain in custody. Investigation so far has revealed Soper was involved in a recent rash of break ins and thefts that recently took place in Penticton and Okanagan Falls. Further charges are pending.

To contact the 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.