Update: May 20, 2020 

Vancouver Police have arrested two chronic offenders, resulting in 70 separate charges related to commercial break-ins in Vancouver and surrounding communities over the past few months.

“We believe that the arrest of these two suspects and the subsequent charge approval will have a major impact on commercial break-ins around the city,” says Sergeant Aaron Roed, VPD. “However, police efforts to target property crime offenders will continue.”

Detectives from the VPD Property Crime Unit have been investigating the rise in commercial break-and-enters in Vancouver since the COVID-19 pandemic first began, and have been able to identify a number of suspects targeting Vancouver businesses. Multiple businesses throughout the city have been closed due to physical distancing rules and criminals have been targeting the closed and vacant stores and buildings.

In addition to this and other projects by investigators, VPD patrol officers have also been targeting property crime by increasing visibility in the hardest hit areas and deploying more patrol officers and community safety personnel.

On April 3, Vancouver Police arrested 44-year-old Burnaby resident Shane Duhamel for:

  • 14 counts of break-and-enter,
  • 21 counts of failure to comply with probation order,
  • two counts of breach of release order,
  • two counts of possession of break-in instruments, and
  • one count of disguise with intent.

VPD also arrested 33-year-old Burnaby resident Jesse Palanio on March 29 for:

  • seven counts of break-and-enter,
  • 13 counts of failure to comply with release order,
  • one count of possession of a prohibited weapon,
  • two counts of possession of credit card data,
  • two counts possession of ID documents,
  • three counts of possession of stolen property, and
  • two counts of theft under $5,000.

Both Duhamel and Palanio are still in custody.

“We are still asking businesses to move property out of view of criminals, use shutters to reduce visibility, upgrade locks and increase lighting levels to ensure the business is well lit,” adds Sergeant Aaron Roed. “Together we can stop businesses from being targeted during these unprecedented times.”