Langley RCMP and the Emergency Response Team surrounded an unfinished Fort Langley home and arrested a suspect in numerous crimes on Friday.
Just after 7:30 a.m. on Nov. 13th, Matthew Ostrander was arrested on outstanding warrants, said Cpl. Holly Largy, spokesperson for the Langley RCMP.
A caller had reported a man was sleeping in the unfinished house, and the tipster suspected the man was the subject of a previous police warning about a wanted man, Largy said.
Officers responded within minutes.
The ERT as well as Police Dog Service officers and local Mounties surrounded the home. They cleared the residence and found a man hiding in a crawl space.
Ostrander was arrested without incident.
The wanted man is now facing previous charges for a June 4 break and enter in Langley, a May 13 breach of probation in Duncan, possession of a firearm and careless use of firearm on Oct. 12, 2012 in Quinte West, Ont., and mischief, uttering threats, and breach of probation from June 9, 2011 in Belleville, Ont.
Several items found at the scene led police to an unreported break and enter that had taken place the previous night a nearby home. Ostrander has now been charged with two more counts of break and enter for incidents on Oct. 14 and Nov. 13.
He is being held in custody pending a Nov. 20 court appearance.
“Once again the awareness of our citizens has led to the RCMP successfully apprehending a person of significant concern to us,” said Supt. Murray Power, officer in charge of the Langley RCMP.
The police had been putting significant efforts into finding Ostrander, but it was the alert public that finally helped bring him in, Power said.