A 36-year-old man is facing 17 charges in connection with a three-day break-and-enter spree in Surrey last fall that ended with the arrest of a sleepy suspect.
Surrey Mounties announced the charges in a news release issued at noon Thursday.
The crimes occurred between Nov. 25-28.
Officers with the Surrey RCMP Property Crime Target Team launched an investigation after receiving multiple break-and-enter reports to residences and businesses.
According to the release, a suspect and vehicle were identified through evidence-gathering and liaising with other Lower Mainland agencies.
Police located the vehicle in a South Surrey parking lot, in the 15300-block of 24 Avenue, on Nov. 28. Inside, they found a lone male asleep in the driver’s seat.
When the male woke to find police at the scene, he “immediately placed the suspect vehicle into drive, ramming into policing vehicles and driving over spike belts in the process,” the release states.
The vehicle was located a short distance away, abandoned on Lee Street in White Rock.
Through patrols, plainclothes officers from the Property Crime Target Team located and arrested a suspect.
READ MORE: Police cars rammed in South Surrey, one arrested
The incident – which police told Peace Arch News at the time began just before 12:30 p.m. – caused a half-hour “hold and secure” at nearby Earl Marriott Secondary.
The measure was “just a precaution,” Surrey School District spokesperson Doug Strachan told PAN.
Jonathan Jarvis, 36, is facing eight counts of break and enter with intent to commit theft, two counts of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and one count each of possession of stolen property over $5,000, possession of stolen property under $5,000, mischief causing damage to property, failure to stop for a peace officer, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, failure to remain at the scene of an accident, and prohibited driving.
“The quick actions and knowledge of our property crime investigators combined with the alert observations made by our front line officers allowed police to bring this individual swiftly into custody,” Staff Sgt. Glenn Atkins, acting pro-active enforcement officer, said in the release.
“Property crime is one of the Surrey RCMP’s top priorities, as our dedicated police officers and municipal employees continue to work together to address the issues through education, prevention, and enforcement.”
Anyone with information about these occurrences, who has not already spoken with police, is asked to call Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or www.solvecrime.ca
According to online court records, Jarvis first appeared in court on Nov. 29, and is due back in Surrey Provincial Court on April 15.
