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Serial Surrey thief arrested in Gibsons, drugs, property seized

Drugs and $20,000 worth of property have been sized and a Surrey man is in custody following an arrest of a suspicious male at a Gibsons construction site. The arrest occurred Thursdaynight after RCMP responded to an 11 p.m.
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Drugs and $20,000 worth of property have been sized and a Surrey man is in custody following an arrest of a suspicious male at a Gibsons construction site.

The arrest occurred Thursdaynight after RCMP responded to an 11 p.m. call about a suspicious man who had jumped a fence and was seen entering a construction site at 710 School Rd.

Because tools had been stolen from the property recently, police considered it a “priority response,” RCMP said in a release.

Upon arrival, witnesses directed officers to a man hiding in blackberry bushes behind the building.

The man who was arrested has “an extensive history of property crime” and was breaching curfew conditions to stay inside his Surrey residence, said the release.

Following the arrest, officers found a vehicle and temporary residence connected with the man, and seized drugs and “thousands of dollars of property”officers believe was stolen on the Lower Mainland.

While the investigation is still in its infancy, said Staff Sgt. Poppy Hallam, the arrest is “a huge win for police.”

She also thanked the public for alerting police to the suspicious activity, saying “they did everything right” and have potentially averted more thefts.

“Police cannot do this without the help of the public and because of some very aware residents watching out for suspicious activity, we have recovered over $20,000 worth of possible stolen property and stopped more thefts and other offences," Hallam said.

She told Coast Reporter the witnesses were neighbours and not associated with any group organizations, however work is underway at establishing a block watch program on the Sunshine Coast. “We just need the capacity to manage the program,” Hallam said. 

As of Jan. 8 the suspect remained in custody at the Sechelt RCMP detachment.