Man charged in 28 break-ins after police see him pushing shopping cart with stolen cabinet
Police had increased patrols due to spike in break-ins around city's North End
A man police believe is responsible for numerous break-ins in Winnipeg's North End was nabbed while pushing a shopping cart loaded with a stolen cabinet.
Police say the break-in spree went from Nov. 24 until Dec. 9.
Officers had targetted the area with increased patrols due to the high number of break-ins and around 5 a.m. on Sunday, they saw a man pushing a cart with a metal cabinet in it near Flora Avenue and Aikins Street.
The cabinet had been taken during a break-in at a convenience store on Dufferin Avenue, but the man gave officers a false name and a story to avoid arrest, police said.
"He tried to feed us a story that it was scrap metal he found, but [officers] determined it came from that break-and-enter minutes earlier," Const. Jay Murray said.
A 46-year-old man was charged with that break-in as well as break-ins at the following locations (some more than once):
- A food store in the 300 block of Manitoba Avenue.
- A food store in the 400 block of Selkirk Avenue.
- A food store in the 400 block of Selkirk Avenue (twice).
- A food store in the 200 block of Salter Street (three times).
- A convenience store in the 300 block of Mountain Avenue.
- A gas station in the 100 block of Salter Street.
- A food store in the 400 block of Burrows Avenue (four times)
- A food store in the 500 block of Selkirk Avenue.
- A convenience store in the 400 block of Selkirk Avenue.
- A restaurant in the 400 block of Aberdeen Avenue.
- A medical clinic in the 400 block of Selkirk (twice).
- A food store in the 500 block of Dufferin Avenue.
- A medical clinic in the 500 block of Selkirk Avenue.
- A food store in the 300 block of Selkirk Avenue (twice).
- A convenience store in the 300 block of Selkirk Avenue (twice).
- A food store in the 400 block of Selkirk Avenue.
- A clothing store in the 500 block of Selkirk Avenue.
- A convenience store in the 500 block of Manitoba Avenue.
During each break-in, the person caused damage by forcing a way inside, then stole various items, such as food, merchandise and sometimes cash, police said.
The 46-year-old man is charged with 28 counts of break and enter as well as resisting a peace officer.