By CHESTER ROBARDS

Tribune Senior Reporter

crobards@tribunemedia.net

POLICE have broken up a housebreaking group they say could be responsible for stealing from as many as 20 homes.

Superintendent Elaine Sands said officers have arrested and charged a man and a woman in connection with the discovery of numerous stolen items hidden in a home.

Supt Sands said the man was arrested after he crashed a vehicle last Friday while fleeing from police. She said police are still looking for a second man who fled on foot from that crash. However, the arrest of the man led police to a house where the woman and the stolen items were found, Supt Sands said, adding that the man was known to police in connection with previous offences.

At the Elizabeth Estates Police Station, officers showed members of the media what they took from the house, which included televisions, a suitcase full of clothing, computers and even a bag full of coins that weighed about 60 pounds, among other things.

“We would like members of the public to come to the police station to see if they can identify some of these items,” said Supt Sands. “Some of the items have already been identified. That person’s house was broken into last week.”

She said collectively, the stolen items retrieved by police could be worth between $8,000 and $10,000 and that they were stolen from homes mostly during the daytime.

According to Supt Sands, some of the break-ins occurred while families were at home.

Meantime, she said the Elizabeth Estates precinct has “seen a decrease in break-ins the first part of this year”.

Despite this, she admonished residents to properly secure their homes and be extremely vigilant when leaving their homes, because “they are vulnerable”.

She said a chain snatcher has recently been reported in the area.

“We have identified that person but we are just hoping we can soon have that person in custody as well,” said Supt Sands.