Local Mounties finally caught up with a fleet-footed suspect who had eluded them for three days and are crediting co-operation between police forces for the arrest.
According to a Coquitlam RCMP press release, on April 13, Burnaby RCMP were called to deal with a suspicious man who was sleeping in a car but when they tried to arrest Robert Thomas Becking, a suspect in an ongoing criminal investigation involving alleged offences throughout Metro Vancouver, he managed to escape after a violent altercation in which officers were injured and one was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The following afternoon, a New Westminster police officer on patrol identified a suspect in a March 29 theft and attempted arrest him but he evaded police after a lengthy foot pursuit. Later, he was linked to a theft that occurred earlier that day and, after seeing a Criminal Intelligence Bulletin from the Burnaby RCMP incident from April 13, the suspect was identified as Becking and charged with two counts of theft under $5,000.
On April 15, Coquitlam RCMP's Prolific Target Team spotted Becking, who ran away, leading the officers on a chase through residential areas for approximately 2 km. The suspect was eventually caught and, after an altercation, was arrested on the outstanding warrant.
Becking is now in Port Coquitlam's North Fraser Pre-trial Centre, where he awaits a June 4 court appearance.
"The successful arrest of Mr. Becking really shows how taking a regional approach to the sharing of information and targeting of individuals works," Staff Sgt. Paul Willms of Coquitlam RCMP said in a press release. "Combined with the tenacity and determination of the officers on the Prolific Target Team, we were able to prevent further offences by an individual who was clearly escalating in criminal behaviour throughout the area."
The suspect has since been charged with 16 counts of theft, three counts of assault, failing to comply with his probation conditions, and willfully resisting or obstructing a peace officer.
As well, Becking faces charges of assault of a peace officer, assault of a peace officer causing bodily harm and two counts of theft charges related to incidents in Burnaby and New Westminster.
