On Saturday (Dec. 31, 2022) the owner of an art gallery on South Granville called 911 to report a thief who walked away with a piece of art reportedly valued around $40,000.
Vancouver police say that after reviewing the security footage they recognized the suspect and drove to his home in East Vancouver.
"We waited for him, and arrested him when he arrived home carrying the [allegedly] stolen art,” says VPD Sergeant Steve Addison in a press release.
The VPD has identified the suspect as a "chronic offender" named Francis Boivin, 50, and says he has more than 115 previous convictions. Upon searching Boivin's residence police say they also found a second piece of art from the same gallery which was allegedly taken from the business taken the day prior.
Boivin has been charged with two counts of theft over $5,000 and was due in court Tuesday (Jan. 3).
