IN the middle of December, the Abbotsford Police Department’s Crime Reduction Unit (CRU) began to investigate a series of property offences that had occurred within the Sumas Prairie area. Several residents were in the process of dealing with the impact that the flood had on them, their families, and their farms when an unknown person victimized them.

The CRU, with the assistance of the Chilliwack RCMP Property Crime Unit (PRU), identified a 29-year-old Chilliwack man as a person of interest for the Abbotsford crimes.  Throughout the next few days, investigators from the CRU, with the assistance of the PRU, Abbotsford Police’s Forensic Identification Section, and patrol and flood response officers, worked around the clock to advance the investigation.

On December 22, Andrew Charpentier was arrested in the 45900 -block of Wellington Avenue in Chilliwack by members of the CRU. He has since been charged with four counts of break-and-enter and remains in custody. Additionally, various stolen property has been recovered and returned to the victims in these incidents.

“The AbbyPD’s Crime Reduction Unit is committed to the identification, targeting, and arrest of prolific property offenders. CRU has zero tolerance for those that choose to victimize people who have already experienced enough loss. CRU remains dedicated to identifying, targeting and holding those responsible accountable”, said CRU Sgt. Johansen.