Home-invading couple faces new charges
Email
Print
Letter to Editor
Share
Updated: August 07, 2009 3:36 PM
North Van police have added new charges against a couple alleged to have invaded homes on the North Shore.
Police say Jonathon Startup of North Van and Zuzanna Sternadel of Bowen Island tried to break into a home in Grousewoods on June 16.
A man called police saying a family friend heard the sound of breaking glass, then saw Startup and Sternadel trying to enter his home, say police.
The man followed the bandits to the bus, at the same time phoning the North Vancouver RCMP.
Police pulled over the bus and found the couple had a bag of stolen goods.
Const. Quentin Frewing said in an interview that the public should be cautious about tailing potential suspects.
He said in cases where "someone still has eyes on a suspect, that's great stuff," but not at the expense of someone else's safety.
"We want everyone to be safe, including the accused," said Frewing. "Our job (as police) is to maintain public safety and order and that includes the accused as well."
Police say that after further investigation, they have linked Sternadel to at least one other break and enter on the North Shore.
The charges against Startup and Sternadel include possession of stolen property for incidents in North and West Van, as well as breaking and entering in North and West Van.
The pair appears in North Vancouver provincial court later this month.
kmcmanus@northshoreoutlook.com
v2
