A woman who made headlines for allegedly stealing a dog from a Saanich home in April was arrested near Whistler last week when police found her to be illegally occupying a residence north of the Pinecrest-Black Tusk development, and now faces nearly three-dozen different charges.
The Whistler RCMP apprehended Erica Marie Wilchuck, 30, as she tried to flee out the back door of a home on Powerline Road on May 28 around 2 p.m.
Staff Sgt. Steve LeClair said the owner of the property had not given permission for anyone to be at the home, which was secured by a padlock. Police had received reports from neighbours indicating that they had spotted a woman at the home who didn't belong there, LeClair said.
"As a result of this and other ongoing investigations, she has been charged with 35 different offences," said LeClair, who noted that police believe she had been occupying the residence "for at least a few days."
Among the charges Wilchuck faces are those for possession of stolen property, breaking and entering, mischief, theft, possession of a controlled substance, breach of an undertaking and obstructing a police officer.
Wilchuck was arrested on April 24 in Squamish for the possession of a stolen dog. The dog had been abandoned during a police incident weeks prior and was eventually adopted by a Saanich family, but went missing on April 23 after Wilchuck allegedly entered the home illegally and took it, The Chief reported.
She was later arrested again in May after RCMP officials said she returned to the home - a breach of her release conditions - to plead for the dog's return.
LeClair said the string of charges came from a string of events that began prior to the alleged dog-napping. The charges stem from incidents going as far back as December, taking place in Whistler, Pemberton, West Vancouver, Squamish and Saanich.
"Police from various jurisdictions have been investigating her, so once we arrested her, we brought all those charges together," LeClair said.
Wilchuck will make her next court appearance on Friday (June 7).
-Eric MacKenzie, Whistler Question
Bikes, trailer stolen
Three mountain bikes and a baby trailer bike attachment were stolen in three separate incidents reported to police on Friday (May 31).
The first such incident was reported to have occurred overnight at a home in the 38000 block of Clarke Drive. The silver Specialized Stump Jumper with a baby trailer attached was stolen from an insecure carport. The trailer was red, white and silver.
A men's brown 21-speed Santa Cruz bike was stolen from an insecure storage locker in the 3200 block of Mamquam Road. The theft occurred sometime between Thursday (May 30) at 7:30 p.m. and Friday at 5:30 p.m.
At the same complex, a women's black 21-speed Kona Entourage Downhill bike was stolen from an insecure storage locker. The bike was valued at between $6,000 and $7,000.
Vehicles damaged
On Saturday (June 1), police received a report of a vehicle having been broken into between 5 and 9 p.m. while parked at a home in the 1000 block of Wilson Crescent. The door lock was punched and a rear passenger window was smashed, but it appears that the car alarm scared the suspect off. Nothing was stolen.
On Sunday (June 2), police received a report of a vehicle break-in that happened at the Garibaldi Lake Provincial Park parking lot between Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 11 a.m. A passenger-side window was smashed. Stolen were a GPS, sunglasses, and charging units for a Casio camera and LG WiFi phone. The items' approximate total value is $500.
