The Calgary Police Service Online Stolen Property Team has laid charges in connection with a break-in and theft at a downtown camera store.
It was an employee of The Camera Store who discovered the break-in at approximately 5:45 a.m. on Saturday.
On Tuesday, police said they believe the offenders pried open the rolling metal shutters covering the storefront and then smashed the windows to get inside.
A Leica camera and a Hasselblad camera were stolen along with three lenses. The property was worth more than $30,000. It is estimated the damage to the store will cost $7,000 to repair.
Investigators had been combing through CCTV footage, but just hours after the break-in, someone with a keen eye thought they spotted one of the stolen cameras for sale online and called police.
In an undercover operation, police met with the seller on Monday. That’s when officers made two arrests in the case.
The stolen Hasselblad camera and the three associated lenses have been recovered, police said.
Tan Xuan Hung Bui, also known as Kenny Bui, 60, of Calgary, has been charged with possession of stolen property over $5,000. He is also charged with trafficking of stolen property over $5,000 and possession of a controlled substance.
Justin Edward Ross, 35, of Calgary, has been charged with possession of stolen property over $5,000. Ross is also charged with trafficking of stolen property over $5,000, breach of a recognizance order and two outstanding warrants.
Police said they wanted to give both the media and the public credit for helping to make arrests in the case.
With files from Haley Jarmain