77-year-old man faces charges in Winnipeg thefts

WINNIPEG – Police have arrested two men for a series of thefts of building materials, including a copper pipe theft that caused flooding in a home.

Victor Quenton Hiebert, 50, and an unnamed 77-year-old man face charges in relation to a string of break-ins and thefts, mostly in the North End and downtown areas.

The thefts started June 26, when a bike was taken from a rear lot in the 1400 block of Manitoba Avenue, police said in a news release.

The flood happened on Aug. 31, at a home in the 300 block of Manitoba Avenue. Thieves broke in and took $700 of copper piping, but created a flood that caused $2,000 in damage to the residence.

On Sept. 15, thieves broke into a home in the 600 block of Maryland Street, apparently looking for copper piping, but didn’t find anything.

A trailer worth about $250 was stolen from a rear lot in the 1400 block of Main Street on Oct. 7.

Scrap metal valued at $700 was stolen from a compound in the first block of Charles Street between Oct. 23 and Nov. 1.

Copper pipe worth about $45 was stolen from a home in the 600 block of Furby Street on Nov. 6.

Metal valued at $80 was stolen from a compound in the 400 block of King Street on Nov. 21.

Air-conditioning units worth about $5,600 were stolen from a home in the 90 block of Granville Street on Dec. 17.

Hiebert is being held in custody. He’s charged with:

• six counts of break, enter and theft;
• three counts of theft under $5,000;
• nine counts of failing to comply with probation; and
• theft over $5,000.

The 77-year-old man was released on a promise to appear in court at a later date. He will be charged with:

• break, enter and theft;
• theft under $5,000; and
• theft over $5,000.