London police headquarters on Dundas St. file photo by Miranda Chant, Blackburn NewsLondon police headquarters on Dundas St. file photo by Miranda Chant, Blackburn News
London

Teen charged in two breaks-ins and vehicle thefts

A 17-year-old London boy is facing half a dozen charges after two vehicles and nearly $40,000 worth of items were stolen during a pair of break-ins earlier this week.

An elderly woman called London police on Sunday after waking to find her Springbank Drive home had been broken into. After noticing the house was colder than normal the woman discovered a window and door were open and several items and her car were missing.

The woman's stolen vehicle was found on Colgrove Place on Tuesday, where a citizen was able to provide police with a description of the suspect.

Two days later, a home on Short Avenue was broken into. Several items from the home were missing, as well as a pickup truck that had been parked in the driveway. Officers spotted the stolen truck later the same morning in the area of High Street and Grand Avenue.

The truck ended up getting stuck in the snow and a suspect was arrested after a short foot chase with police.

The total value of the items taken from the two homes is estimated at nearly $40,000.

A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named because of his age, is charged with two counts of breaking and entering, two counts of theft of a motor vehicle and one count each of possession of break-in instruments, and possession of property obtained by crime.

He is to appear in London court in relation to the charges on Tuesday.

The doors and windows of the two homes that were broken into in this case were not locked, prompting a reminder from police to homeowners to be vigilant about securing their residence.

“When someone enters our homes without permission, it is more than just a property crime. These offenders steal our sense of security and consequently impact our abilities to feel safe in our own homes," said Det. Sgt. Ryan Scrivens. “Our best defence is to ensure our homes and valuables are secured to the best of our abilities, be great neighbours and report any suspicious activity to police.”

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