A 33-year-old man is accused of two break-and-enters in Chatham after police found him attempting to hide in a flower bed.
The Chatham-Kent Police Service said officers responded Tuesday morning to a break-in at a business on Queen Street, which had occurred overnight.
Police said someone had forced open a bay door and stole over $20,000 worth of equipment, along with a pickup truck that had been stored inside the business. The truck was later recovered by police at a residence on Richmond Street.
Not long after, another break-in was reported at a residence on Raleigh Street, however, the thief had fled before officers arrived.
A suspect was arrested a short time later after officers found him hiding in a flower bed.
A search of the residence on Raleigh Street turned up thousands of dollars worth of stolen tools, some of which were from the break-and-enter on Queen Street. Officers also recovered the keys to the stolen pickup truck inside the home.
As a result, a 33-year-old man of no fixed address is charged with two counts of breaking and entering, theft over $5,000, possession of stolen property over $5,000 and possession of break-in instruments. He was held in custody pending a bail hearing.