The Shoeless Beaches Burglar

In the early hours of Thursday, December 4, 2008, two youths were arrested in the rash of Beaches break-ins that took place from October to December 2008.

Two Arrested

Toronto Police arrested two teenage suspects early this morning in connection with more than 40 burglaries in the city's Beaches neighbourhood".

"We are very confident we have the right people in custody," Inspector Peter Yuen told a news conference at 55 Division.

The suspects, aged 17 and 18, were arrested around 5 a.m.

The arrests followed an investigation by as many as 30 officers into 47 break-ins in The Beaches since October 2008.

The burglaries usually took place between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. Items were being stolen from the victims' homes while they slept.

While there was no violence associated with any of the burglaries, "our concern is that when people are brazen and breaking into people's homes, there is potential for violence," Yuen said.

In the most recent incident, a shoe was recovered Monday December 1, 2008, from the scene of a break-in.

Yuen said this discovery led to many calls and brought in vital information.