A man suspected of being an armed shoplifter, who shut down a portion of Langley City for hours last Thursday (March 29), remains behind bars after having his first court appearance on a number of criminal charges.
Jesse Moore, a 22-year-old from Langley, has been charged with theft under $5,000, assault with a weapon, carrying a concealed weapon and possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose. Moore remains in custody pending his next court appearance on April 11.
On March 29, in the late afternoon, Langley RCMP were called to the Army and Navy after a suspected shoplifter pointed a firearm at the store’s loss prevention officers when they tried to apprehend him.
The LPOs told police they had observed the suspect shoplift a propane torch from the store. As they attempted to apprehend him, the suspect produced what appeared to be a firearm.
Once the staff saw the gun, they stopped and the suspect ran off. The LPOs immediately contacted police, never losing sight of the suspect as he ran into the Brighton apartment building at 204 Street and 54 Avenue.
Langley RCMP officers, Lower Mainland Emergency Response Team and Police Dog Services responded to the scene.
The initial investigation led police to the suite the suspect was holed up in.
After several hours of negotiating, the suspect surrendered and was arrested without incident, said Langley RCMP spokesperson Const. Craig van Herk.
A gun and a propane torch were seized by officers at the scene.
Several blocks of 54 Avenue were blocked off for hours. Many Brighton apartment residents and other neighbouring apartment residents weren’t allowed to leave or enter the buildings until he surrendered, around 7 p.m.
Moore was just recently in court in Port Coquitlam to face charges of breaking and entering and assault with a weapon for incidents in Maple Ridge. He is also facing an assault with a weapon charge in Langley from a few years ago.