The Coquitlam RCMP are thanking the public and the Police Dog Services Unit for helping them catch five men suspected of breaking and entering last weekend.
Police received a tip after neighbours observed five suspicious males breaking open the front door of a residence in the 2000-block of Palliser Avenue in Coquitlam around 11 a.m. Saturday.
When police arrived at the scene, three suspects fled in a stolen white pick-up truck from Kamloops, leaving two suspects behind who were arrested immediately.
The other three suspects ditched the car in the Citadel Heights area but a police dog was hot on their trail and located two of the three.
The last suspect, who had taken refuge in a garbage bin, was arrested after a witness spotted the man hiding.
The five suspects are Lower Mainland residents and range between 20 and 31 years of age. They face charges of possession of stolen property, break and enter, and several breaches of probation orders. One had an outstanding warrant for his arrest for a breach of conditions charge.
Cpl. Bert Paquet told ctvbc.ca that the residents of the area were extremely helpful in locating the suspects.
"They were providing up-to-date information, direction of travel and where they were last seen," he said.
Paquet noted that it was an unusual incident because of the number of suspects involved. He said that the group effort from the public, the police dog and the dog's handler played a significant role in catching all five men.
"The dog and the public were the two keys in successfully apprehension," he said. "There are usually not so many suspects involved in break and enters, so that was unusual. But to catch all five in a couple hours was a very nice outcome for us."
