A 34-year-old Maple Ridge man was arrested by Mounties on New Year’s Day for stealing from an apartment.
Police were called to the apartment around 10:30 a.m. after people inside heard a noise at the front door.
One of the residents confronted the alleged thief and police said that’s when he pulled out a weapon and made a threat.
The man left the apartment after he took property that belonged to a roommate who was not home.
RCMP Sgt. Dale Somerville said police were able to learn the man’s identity soon after and this led to the suspect turning himself in at the police detachment.
He was held in custody until Tuesday for a court appearance.
Mark Roy Wheating has since been charged with one count each of break-and-enter and using an imitation firearm.
Honour guards
Eighteen firefighters from Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge joined their counterparts from across Canada and Washington State in Enderby on Thursday to honour a volunteer who died battling a fire last week.
Dan Botkin, 25, was killed in the small town north of Vernon Dec. 29 while fighting a blaze at a log construction company.
Assistant chief Brad Perrie and Rob Chatton as well as captain Dave Saddler and firefighter Bruce Edward represented Pitt Meadows at the funeral.
The fact that the city’s fire department still remains mainly staffed by volunteers made showing their support even more important, said chief Don Jolley.
“We have opportunities many of these small departments don’t have, so we have to show our support. When something like this happens, it makes you pause for thought. It certainly could have been any one of us.”
The 14 firefighters from Maple Ridge were part of the honour guard that marched through Enderby.
“We see the fire service as an extended family in the province of B.C.,” said Maple Ridge assistant fire chief Howard Exner.
“When we lose somebody in the line of duty, it plays on all of us.”
