Vancouver Police arrested a thief yesterday after the owner of tools recently stolen from his parked vehicle, noticed that they were being sold on Craigslist and contacted police.
Officers worked with the property owner and posed as potential buyers to arrange to meet the alleged thief. Once the man showed up with the stolen goods, he was arrested by plain-clothes officers.
Thirty-nine-year-old Braidy Holt has now been charged with possession of stolen property, possession of break-in instruments and carrying a concealed weapon.
The tools, valued at $1,000, have now been returned to the owner. The victim’s vehicle was broken into in East Vancouver between 11 p.m. on August 13 and 8 a.m. on August 14.
“The owner of the stolen property in this case had taken the time to write on his property which made it possible to identify the stolen goods and return them,” says Sergeant Jason Robillard, Vancouver Police. “Theft from auto continues to be a problem in Vancouver and we want to remind everyone that if anything is left visible in a parked vehicle, it could be enough to tempt a thief.”
Anyone who witnesses a theft from auto is asked to 9-1-1 immediately.