Calgary police have uncovered up to $100,000 in stolen property hidden beneath a man's backyard in an underground tunnel.
The unusual discovery was made while police were executing a search warrant at a man's home in the southeast Calgary community of Queensland on March 19, according to a news release.
There, they found a tunnel nearly 10 metres long filled with stolen goods including bicycles, electronics, and guns.
Stolen bicycles, tools, electronics, sporting goods, firearms, and ammunition were found in the tunnel, police say. (Photo: Calgary Police Service)
Douglas Scott Pentland, 50, has been charged with 15 counts of breaking and entering and one count of possessing tools to break and enter. Additional breaking and entering offences are currently under investigation, which may end up leading to more charges.
Now police have the tricky job of returning the large cache of goods to their rightful owners. Police have set up an online photo gallery of the recovered items to help connect owners with their stolen property.
Police say they believe Pentland forced his way into homes by prying basement windows or overhead garage doors open.
Some suggestions police have for homeowners to prevent break-ins:
- Secure your basement windows with bars, and make sure they are locked, but accessible in case of a fire
- Install a home security system with sensors for the garage and main doors
- If your garage connects to your home, keep the connecting door locked at all times
- Secure the manual release for your overhead garage door
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