Calgary police have charged a man after they found him with over $3,000 worth of stolen copper wire.
Denis Richard Lafleur was charged after breaking into a new home construction site in the community of Seton on Saturday, Feb 1.
"Through CCTV footage, a security guard observed a man carrying a cutting tool and jumping into an open trench where copper wire had been installed. The guard promptly called 911 to report the incident," said a police news release.
Police told StrathmoreNow that only an hour after the first call from the Seton site 911 was contacted again by a security guard at a construction site in the community of Wolf Willow.
"While en route to Wolf Willow, officers observed a truck leaving a gas station in the community of Chaparral that matched the vehicle descriptions provided by the security personnel," wrote police.
"The officers proceeded to conduct a traffic stop of the truck, where they identified a man matching the suspect description provided by security from the Seton site and observed a large volume of copper wire and a reciprocating saw in the truck bed."
According to officers, footage showed that the man used a reciprocating saw to cut around 180 feet of copper wire, which has a value of around $3,000.
Lafleur has been charged with break and enter, possessing stolen property under $5,000, two counts of breaching probation, and two counts of failing to comply with a release order.
"This case highlights the importance of promptly reporting incidents to ensure timely investigations, prevent further harm, and increase the chances of recovering stolen property," says District 8 Inspector Darry Midtdal.
“As our city continues to grow, construction sites remain prime targets for thieves looking to steal tools and materials. While we have dedicated numerous resources to investigate and prevent these offences, we also rely on the public's help to reduce these crimes of opportunity by reporting incidents and following our crime prevention tips.”
Lafleur appeared in court on Wednesday.