Charges have now been laid against two men involved in a break and enter on Mountainvew Road and their subsequent arrest on the Hart Highway.
Forty-one-year-old Jamie Hal Hammerstrom of Hixon and 33-year-old John Robert Craig of Dawson Creek have each been charged with break and enter to steal a firearm, disguise with intent to commit and indictable offence, two counts of unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle and possession of a firearm without a licence. Hammerstrom has also been charged with possession of property obtained by crime, three counts of possession of a firearm and ammunition while prohibited, and possession of a controlled substance.
Investigators have confirmed the vehicle that the two suspects were in was reported stolen to Quesnel RCMP on Thursday July 11. Following the arrests of the two suspects, two firearms were seized at the scene.
The BC Prosecution Service have approved charges against 41 year old Jamie Hal Hammerstrom of Hixon, BC, and 33 year old John Robert Craig of Dawson Creek, BC:
Both accused appeared in court on July 18 and were remanded in custody until their next court date scheduled for Wednesday July 24.
The residence on Mountainview Road has been the target of two previous break and enters this year. Police received the first report on May 9 during the mid-afternoon. Three firearms and an extensive list of other items were stolen, along with a pickup truck. The truck was located in Vernon and a 27-year-old Prince George man was arrested as a result. Although charges have not yet been approved, the investigation is continuing. The property was again broken into on the afternoon of Thursday June 27, however it appears that nothing was stolen. The audible alarm likely scared off culprits.
Police encourage all property owners to acquire quality video surveillance and take the necessary steps to secure and protect their property. Ensure your property is secured and take these steps to deter thieves from making you a victim of crime:
- Record serial numbers or engrave your driver’s licence number on valuables;
- Take pictures of property and store the files on a disk;
- Report suspicious activity at all hours of the day;
- Get to know your neighbours and keep an eye on their property;
- Use security systems, cameras and other deterrents;
- Keep your doors locked, even if you are in the back yard;
- Lock you sheds and out building and secure property that you store inside;
- Close and lock your windows each time you leave your home, even in hot weather;
- Register your bicycles on the ‘529 Garage’ on-line program;
- Lock your vehicle doors and use an anti-theft device;
- When possible, do not leave valuables in your vehicle. If you must, leave them out of sight;
- Never leave your wallet, purse, identification or keys in a vehicle.
Many neighbourhoods have set up community watch groups and use social media or other platforms to communicate with each other. For more information and assistance in setting up one of these groups, please contact the Detachment’s Community Policing Section at 250-561-3366. For more tips on theft prevention, please go to the Safety Tips section of our website at www.princegeorge.rcmp.ca.
The Prince George RCMP are looking for information to help identify and locate persons involved in property crimes. If you have any information, please contact the Prince George RCMP at 250-561-3300 or contact Crime Stoppers at 1(800)222-8477 or online at www.pgcrimestoppers.bc.ca (English only). You do not have to reveal your identity to Crime Stoppers. If you provide information that leads to an arrest or recovery of stolen property, you could be eligible for a cash reward.