Surrey RCMP say four people have been charged in connection with offences related to break-ins at storage locker facilities in the Lower Mainland, Kelowna and Calgary.
On June 19, 15 charges were laid against Philip Sprentzel, Austin Jones and Magdalena Toner for break-ins in Surrey, Langley and Hope, according to a Surrey RCMP release Tuesday (July 28).
Police added that as part of a joint investigation with the Calgary Police Service, 25 charges were laid against Sarah Griffin, Sprentzel and Jones for offences in Calgary.
In September 2019, according to Surrey RCMP, the detachment’s Property Crime Target Team identified two people “with alleged ties to property crime taking place in Surrey, which involved stolen items being sold online.”
Police said that further investigation “indicated that the suspects may be connected to a larger property crime operation connected to break and enters.”
Then in February, Surrey RCMP said the team launched “a project aimed at further investigating” the alleged property crime operation.
From there, police said investigators identified “multiple additional property crime suspects,” who are “allegedly connected to break and enters in storage lockers at various facilities throughout the Lower Mainland, Kelowna and Calgary.”
The estimated value of stolen items was “in excess of $200,000,” Surrey RCMP added.
“This was [a] complex investigation that required the collaboration of police agencies in multiple jurisdictions including our partners in Calgary,” said Staff Sergeant Ryan Element, acting Proactive Enforcement Officer. “We are pleased that the hard work of the officers has resulted in a large quantity of stolen property being recovered and charges being laid.”
The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to call Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or, to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or solvecrime.ca.
READ ALSO: Surrey man charged with 17 counts of mail theft, July 28, 2020
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