An observant neighbour is being credited by police for helping them arrest two men who had broken into a Brookswood home moments beforehand last Tuesday afternoon (July 3).
Around 2:30 p.m., a Brookswood resident called police to report a suspicious car parked in a neighbour’s driveway. Police arrived at the residence to find the home had been broken into and the vehicle had left.
Another officer en route to the dispatched call caught sight of the suspect vehicle turning onto 212 Street from 40 Avenue. The vehicle was located abandoned a short time later on a property near 212 Street and 42 Avenue.
Residents in this area told police the suspects were running southbound through Langley Fundamental Middle School yard and jumping the fence into the green space near 213 Street.
Air Two and Lower Mainland Police Dog Services were able to attend and successfully tracked the two suspects as they were about to enter the yard of a home in the 4000 block of 213A Street.
The two men, aged 42 and 44, both of Vancouver, were arrested and police will recommend charges of breaking and entering with intent. The road, 40 Avenue, was closed for less than 30 minutes during the pursuit of these men.
“These two suspects were taken into custody as a direct result of police and community working together,” said Langley RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Holly Marks.
She reminded good neighbours to take note of suspicious vehicles at odd times of day where they know no one should be home.
“If you are going away for a longer period of time, make sure you tell your neighbours so they keep a closer eye on your property. Without that first call to police, this break and enter would likely have gone unnoticed until the homeowner returned at the end of the day,” she said.
“This investigation serves as a tremendous example of how all our integrated services and community can work together to keep our neighbourhood safe,” Marks said.