Woman charged in string of work van thefts in Abbotsford, police say

An Abbotsford Police Department cruiser is shown in July 2021. (Jordan Jiang / CTV News Vancouver)

An investigation into 22 stolen work vans in Abbotsford has led to charges, police in the city announced Wednesday.

The investigation began in late January, the Abbotsford Police Department said in a news release, noting that the stolen vans "often contained thousands of dollars of tools" that the vehicles' owners needed for their jobs.

"These occurrences were of great concern to police due to the substantial impact it was having on the victims, their families, and their businesses," the department said in the release.

In August, police arrested Charlene Williams on outstanding arrest warrants related to the case. She was released with conditions in late October, police said.

Williams has been charged with two counts of theft of motor vehicle, seven counts of possession of property obtained by crime and one count of possession of break-in instruments.

Asked for clarification of the timeline, department spokesperson Const. Art Stele told CTV News the charges against Williams relate to offences police believe she committed between January and March of this year.

"Following the crimes committed in that period AbbyPD’s Crime Reduction Unit submitted and executed a search warrant which provided further evidence to substantiate the charges," Stele said in an email.

In the news release, Sgt. Cory Johansen of the Crime Reduction Unit said police are committed to identifying, targeting and arresting prolific property offenders.

"CRU recognizes the personal impact that these offences had on numerous victims and will continue to make them a priority," Johansen said. "We are hoping the arrest of this prolific offender can bring some justice and closure to those impacted by their crimes.”