$40,000 art piece stolen, ‘chronic offender’ arrested: Vancouver police
Posted January 3, 2023 1:50 pm.
Last Updated January 3, 2023 1:51 pm.
Vancouver police say a man with more than 115 previous convictions, has been arrested for allegedly stealing nearly $40,000 in fine art from a gallery in South Granville.
According to police, officers were called to the gallery on Saturday after the owner reported that a “known thief had walked in and stolen a pricey piece of art,” the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) said in a news release.
“Our officers responded quickly, reviewed security video, and immediately recognized the suspect,” Sgt. Steve Addison said.
#VPDNews A chronic offender with more than 115 previous convictions faces more charges after Vancouver Police arrested him for allegedly stealing nearly $40,000 in fine art from a South Granville gallery.
Media Release: https://t.co/oBd1VRTs6x pic.twitter.com/InKUXxnXFy
— Vancouver Police (@VancouverPD) January 3, 2023
Although the suspect escaped before the police showed up on the scene, Addison says because the suspect, a so-called “chronic offender,” had been convicted before, officers knew where to find him.
“The thief had fled prior to our arrival, but the officers drove to his home in East Vancouver, waited for him, and arrested him when he arrived home carrying the stolen art,” he explained.
After the arrest, investigators searched the suspect’s home and found another piece of stolen art, which police say had been nabbed from the same store on Friday.
Francis Boivin, a 50-year-old man, has been charged with two counts of theft over $5,000.
