Police are warning the public following a recent spike in commercial break and enters in the city.
From the morning of Sunday August 4 to the morning of Monday August 12, the Prince George RCMP received 17 reports of break and enters to businesses in the city. These occurred on Quinn Street (4), Ogilvie Street, River Road (2), Spruce Street, First Avenue, Third Avenue, 15th Avenue, Ospika Boulevard, Queensway, Tabor Boulevard and Robertson Road (3).
Some similarities have been noted in most of these investigations:
- Glass doors were smashed to gain entry;
- Suspects specifically targeted cash drawers;
- All of these incidents occurred between midnight and 4 a.m.;
- Some of the properties targeted were professional offices including medical and veterinary clinics.
A Ford F-series pickup and F-series van were also stolen from separate Quinn Street incidents around the time of the break-ins. Three Ford Excursions were attempted stolen from locations in close proximity to some of the break-ins.
Although investigators cannot confirm all these incidents were committed by the same suspect(s), given the motives, methods and geographical areas, likely most of them were.
Police are urging businesses including professional offices to secure or remove any cash from the premises before closing for the day, and to install a high quality video surveillance system.
If you have any information about these criminal offences or the persons responsible, please contact the Prince George RCMP at (250)561-3300 or anonymously 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.