A homeowner was shocked upon returning to his home in broad daylight to find a man rummaging through his belongings.
On Wednesday, Jan. 15, around 1:15 p.m., police were called to a residence on Black Rock Road in Vernon after a homeowner discovered a strange man inside his residence stealing household items.
When the homeowner came inside, he could hear movement around upstairs. He was not too concerned; he thought the noise was being made by a family member.
Then, to his surprise, an unknown man came down the staircase carrying two bags, which he then dropped upon being seen. When the homeowner confronted the suspect, the man walked out the door.
“The one good thing about all this freshly fallen snow is it made it relatively easy for our front line officers to follow the suspect,” said North Okanagan RCMP media relations officer Cpl. Tania Finn said.
Police followed the suspect’s tracks in the snow to a shed on a nearby property.
Police located the suspect hiding in the snowbank next to the shed where he was arrested without further incident. The homeowner’s property, which was stolen during the break in, was recovered by police.
A 47-year-old man of no fixed address is in custody and charged with break and enter and theft.
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