Chatham-Kent police have arrested a man and woman and charged them in connection with dozens of break and enters over the last three years.
“The arrest of these prolific offenders demonstrates that small groups or individual career criminals are responsible for the vast majority of break-ins that occur in our community” says Chief Dennis Poole.
Officials say the break-ins occurred between Aug. 2011 and June 2014 and involved over $600,000 in stolen property, primarily jewellery, cash, collector coins and electronics.
According to police, numerous residential break and enters were found where ‘blocked’ or ‘private’ phone calls were made to the residences up to, and including, the time the home was broken into.
Following a lengthy investigation, police have arrested 38-year-old Michael Brown and his wife, 36-year-old Jodie-Lynn Brown, both of Balmoral Road in Chatham.
He is facing charges including:
- 30 counts of break and enter and commit theft
- two counts of break and enter with intent to commit theft
- 18 counts of possession of property obtained by crime
She has been charged with:
- 29 counts of break ane enter and commit theft
- two counts of break and enter with intent to commit theft
- 18 counts of possession of property obtained by crime
Both have been released pending a future court date in November 4.
Poole added, “We are very pleased to have brought this lengthy investigation to a successful conclusion...Knowing that these individuals have been arrested will hopefully allow some of these victims to regain their lost sense of security and serve notice on the criminal element that we will continue in our efforts to pursue them relentlessly to keep our community safe.”
The investigation was a co-operative effort led by the Intelligence Unit with the assistance of Community Patrol Branch, Criminal Investigations Branch, Forensic Identification Unit and Crime Stoppers.
