An Esquimalt man faces 23 charges related to a number of thefts from vehicles over the past several months.
The Regional Crime Unit followed up on the Feb. 12 theft of a lottery ticket from a vehicle in Saanich. Officers seized video from a service station that showed a man redeeming the ticket.
Officers acting on a search warrant searched the man’s home and found hundreds of items — including iPods, cellphones, digital cameras and GPS devices — suspected to have been stolen from vehicles in Sooke, West Shore, Oak Bay, Central Saanich and Sidney.
The victims’ vehicles were generally locked, said Staff-Sgt. Gary Schenk of the crime unit. A tool was used to puncture the metal skin of the door to break the locking mechanism.
Darin Leslie Hagel, 46, is charged with theft, possession of stolen property and mischief.
He is scheduled to appear March 14 in Victoria provincial court for a bail hearing.
