Welland home invasions

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Police have caught a group of thieves that had been breaking into into homes in Welland overnight while unsuspecting homeowners slept.

Police caught up with the culprits 20 minutes later and recovered most of the stolen property. They are still looking for the womans’ television.

Tim Merritt knew something was wrong this morning when he couldn’t find his cell phone in the kitchen. He then dialed his cell number.

“Next thing you knew it’s the police calling me on my house phone saying we have your cell phone here. Have you been robbed last night?”

Merritt was startled by that.

“So i started looking around the house and sure enough my laptop was gone, my phone was gone and they took the keys out of my cupboard drawer.”

The thieves broke into his Dunkirk Road home after he went to bed by removing the screen in the kitchen window and opening the side door.

“My heart just stopped. I couldn’t believe they did this while we were sleeping.”

Merritt believes his house was specifically targeted by these thieves because he had to put his dog down a few days ago. He says the dog were never allow three strangers in the house without making a fuss.

Shortly after that someone broke into a house on Dover Road, just one street over. A 72 year old woman who suffers from severe arthritis lives in the house alone. When she heard noises, she got scared and called 911.

Neighbour Andy Thibierge says his house has been broken into before, but not while he was home sleeping.

“When I go to bed at night, I make sure everything’s locked up.”

Police charged two of the culprits with break and enter and theft. They are 18 year old Jamall Witter of Welland and 18 year old Damyen Caron of no fixed address. A 17 year old was also arrested and charged.