Man arrested after U.S. couple’s belongings stolen from North Van Airbnb

The North Vancouver RCMP says a man has been arrested in relation to a break-and-enter that saw a U.S. couple’s belongings stolen from the Airbnb they were staying at just minutes after they arrived in B.C. last month.

On July 3, the family left the rental home’s backdoor open as they unloaded their luggage into their Lonsdale accommodation.

“During the process of unloading, the rear door of the residence was left open and a man was seen on CCTV stealing several items from the family. Police responded and launched an investigation in an effort to identify the suspect,” police said.

In an update Tuesday, Mounties said that on July 25 officers arrested a man who they believed to be responsible for the break-and-enter. He is slated to appear in court on Oct. 23.

Madhu Mandal and her fiancé allege the suspect stole her wallet, the pair’s passports, a laptop, a car key, and a camera. “I immediately went into a frantic mode … I was like, ‘No, no, no, this can’t be happening, this is just a nightmare.’ We travel so much and I know how important those documents are,” she told 1130 NewsRadio in July.

The incident was captured on surveillance footage, which the Airbnb host shared with the couple after learning about what happened.

In the video, a person is seen exiting the home hastily while carrying multiple bags. The suspect then begins to run, still holding the items that were taken.

“This was a distressing and disruptive incident for the family visiting from the U.S.,” said Const. Mansoor Sahak. “What was meant to be a memorable vacation has unfortunately turned into a frustrating ordeal. We hope this arrest brings the family some type of reassurance that the person responsible will be held accountable.”