A 60-year-old Maple Ridge resident has been arrested and charged for several break and enters in a building complex.

Ridge Meadows RCMP arrested a suspect after several seniors were targets in a series of residential burglaries.

The police first found out about these break and enters on July 8, at a complex in the 20500-block of 118th Avenue.

According to the police, the suspect gained access to residences during the early morning hours using the guise of picking up bottles on decks and patios. However, while doing this, it’s believed she was also checking the doors and windows of residences for unlocked access points.

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Frontline officers responded to the numerous reports of break and enters and requested the forensic identification section (FIS) attend. They subsequently identified a suspect.

On Aug. 23, the Uniformed Community Response Unit (UCRU) recognized the suspect and arrested her while they were on their regular patrol, said RCMP Const. Julie Klaussner.

“The file was successful for two reasons. One, the fact that our citizens understood the importance of reporting these crimes, and two, the collaboration between our frontline police, FIS, UCRU, and the Street Enforcement Unit (SEU) – which highlights how all our units work together as a team to identify criminals and enact arrests ultimately making our community safer,” Klaussner said.

On Thursday, Sept. 2, Joane (Joanne) Bursey, 60, was formally charged with five counts of break and enter. She was remanded in custody until her date in provincial court on Sept. 9.

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Is there more to the story? Email: priyanka.ketkar@mapleridgenews.com