Vancouver Police, with the generous support of the Calgary Police Service, have arrested a man who is alleged to have committed a violent home invasion in Vancouver.
In the early afternoon of June 17th, two men dressed in reflective vests forced their way into an occupied home located on Dieppe Drive near East 18th Avenue in East Vancouver. One of the men was in possession of a gun.
Police were told that while inside the home, one of the men pointed a gun at a seven-year-old child who then went to her parent’s bedroom and handed a jar of change over to the thieves. In addition to the coins, a number of undisclosed items were stolen from the home, including a unique Rolex watch.
On July 23rd, investigators released images of the two suspects asking for the public’s help in identifying the pair. Initially, one of the men was described as having full-sleeve tattoos on both arms. On July 29th, the VPD shared new photos of that suspect showing the tattoos more clearly.
Police were hoping the release of these additional photos would result in that one tip needed to positively identify the two men. A number of tips were received and investigators expanded their search to include other provinces.
On October 22nd, investigators with the VPD Major Crime Section arrested 28-year-old Rouslan Erchov in Calgary. He was interviewed last night and has been charged with robbery, use of an imitation firearm, break-and-enter, and unlawful confinement. Erchov remains in custody in Calgary and it is not yet known when he will be transported back to BC to appear in court.
“This was a shocking and traumatic robbery for the seven-year-old child and her family,” says VPD Constable Brian Montague. “Investigators worked meticulously and diligently to identify, locate, and arrest this man to hold him accountable.”
There is still one outstanding suspect. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call the VPD Major Crime Section at (604) 717-2541 or Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 222-8477.
