Thousands of dollars in cash, jewelry and household items as well as break-and-enter tools and a ledger of addresses were allegedly found in a Port Coquitlam house following the execution of search warrants that led to an arrest and charges.
Coquitlam RCMP are still sorting through the items from the search that stemmed from a joint operation with the West Vancouver Police Department, according to a spokesperson.
Cpl. Michael McLaughlin said a man was arrested at the home and faces charges related to a break and enter in West Vancouver in which nearly $200,000 in goods and cash was stolen.
“This is something we allege was very organized, very targeted, [and done by] somebody who is experienced doing this type of offence,” said McLaughlin, who said it not unusual for sophisticated operators to commit property crimes in multiple jurisdictions.
It was information exchanged between Coquitlam RCMP and West Vancouver police that led to the arrest and seizure of goods.
The investigation started Nov. 6 when a break-in was reported at a home in the 500-block of Southborough Drive in West Van. The home had been ransacked and a number of personal items, including cash and jewelry, stolen. The residents were away on vacation.
An image captured on home surveillance cameras later helped investigators identify their suspect, a resident of PoCo whom McLaughlin said was known to police.
Nov. 20, members of the West Vancouver Police Target Team and Coquitlam RCMP's Prolific Target Team executed a search warrant at a PoCo home, where a suspect was arrested and officers allegedly found a large cache of stolen property, including items which had been stolen from the Southborough Drive B&E.
“This was excellent collaboration between our agencies,” WVPD Const. Kevin Goodmurphy said in a press release. “We were very happy to recover personal property which has since been returned to its owners.”
Police will continue to sort through items found at the house with the goal of returning it to owners once they are no longer needed for evidence.
McLaughlin said the cache is large, one of the largest collections of valuables found in “recent memory” and it will take a while to sort through it all. He didn't give a value of the property that was seized.
“This is one of those real world examples that show the importance of keeping track of all your valuables,” McLaughlin noted, suggesting that people record serial numbers and photograph jewelry and other items.
Further charges are possible related to five more B&Es that took place in Coquitlam and PoCo.
Michael Horyn, 52, of Port Coquitlam, is charged with break and enter and possession of stolen property. He is in custody and his next court appearance is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 13 in North Vancouver.
