Vancouver Police arrested a man early Monday morning after neighbours worked together to prevent crime in their south Vancouver community.

Just after 3 a.m. October 29, a resident near West 66th Avenue and Cambie Street called 9-1-1 after he spotted a man on his CCTV camera allegedly breaking into his neighbour’s vehicle parked on the street. The homeowner scared the suspect away by using a bright spotlight that he set up to deter thieves.

Another neighbour spotted the suspect cutting through his backyard, after his silent alarm system sent a text message alerting him that someone was near his home.

A VPD Canine officer and police service dog Talon (Mr. July in the 2019 Vancouver Police Dog Calendar) arrived minutes later. Using the information provided by the witnesses, Talon was able to sniff out the suspect, who was allegedly hiding near a home under construction.

“This is a great example of neighbours looking out for neighbours to help prevent crime in their community,” says VPD Constable Jason Doucette. “These residents did the right thing by immediately calling 9-1-1 to report suspicious behaviour, and not putting themselves in harm’s way.”

The suspect was arrested and the stolen property was returned to its owner.

Crown Counsel has approved one charge of theft under $5000 against 33-year-old Vancouver resident David Garnet Williams.

The public are encouraged to learn more about the VPD Block Watch program. The VPD provides public access to GeoDash and GeoDash Crime Stats. These interactive mapping tools are intended to enhance community awareness of policing activity and crime in Vancouver.