Winnipeg police have laid charges in connection with more than a dozen break-ins at city businesses over a 2.5 year span, saying the police service is putting more resources into combatting property crime.

Police believe $100,000 in cash was stolen and another $100,000 in damage was caused to the businesses in a series of break-ins between Jan. 7, 2017 and June 18, 2019.

“So a total loss to people of $200,000,” said Winnipeg Police Service Const. Rob Carver, who said investigators with the major crimes unit were tasked with investigating.

“This was a large complex investigation,” said Carver. “Lots and lots of business, lots of work that went into it from an investigative standpoint.”

Carver described the theft operation as “fairly sophisticated” and well planned, saying the businesses were targeted because it was thought they would have cash on site.

“Substantially more money on site, for various legitimate reasons, than you would have in a cash float or a till.”

Police said the investigators went to a break in at a business in the 400 block of Lagimodiere Boulevard at around 1:05 a.m. Wednesday and arrested a suspect.

Arnes, Man., resident Cary Scott Preston, 42, is facing a list of charges, including multiple counts of break, enter and theft – place and disguise with intent. He is in custody.

A second man, 56, was arrested and charged with two counts of break, enter and commit – place. He was released on a promise to appear in court.

A new way to target property crimes

Carver said police are taking a more targeted approach to property crimes, with dedicated investigators.

“We do have a separate section now within major crimes that will specialize in smaller property crimes, because we’re certainly seeing a spike in those numbers over the last while,” he said, explaining what’s behind the strategy.

“When you look at the way crimes are committed, it’s not an infinite universe,” he said. “If you’re looking at a rash of break-ins in a particular neighbourhood, we may not know who’s doing it, but we can tell you that it’s limited to a finite number of people.”

Carver said the goal is prevention.

“It’s a small number of people, and if we can figure out who’s done a couple of them, we can usually, if we can make an arrest, stop a potential for an ongoing series of crime.”