Virden home broken into four times in three days

Police have three suspects in custody after a rash of break-ins targeting a home in rural Manitoba.

Mounties in Virden launched an investigation earlier this month after learning a home in the Rural Municipality of Wallace-Woodworth was broken into four times over the course of three days, Manitoba RCMP said in a news release Wednesday.

The owner lives in Winnipeg, but frequently visits the western Manitoba community, located about 70 kilometres west of Brandon. He reported the first break-and-enter on March 7, when numerous items were taken from the home, police said.

The homeowner was waiting at a friend’s house for police to arrive when the home was broken into again and more items were taken. The homeowner spent the night at a relative’s house, intending to return to the home the following day to finish securing it. That’s when they discovered a third break-and-enter had been attempted, RCMP said.

Finally, on March 9, the owner received a call from a neighbour reporting that four people were attempting to break into the property. A witness spotted a women behind the wheel of a truck, which picked up the four suspects and drove them away from the scene.

Police said that vehicle was found abandoned in a ditch near Virden three days later.

Investigators arrested three men from Sioux Valley Dakota Nation this week in connection with the incidents. The suspects — ages 26, 23, and 19 — are each facing multiple charges. They remain in custody.

RCMP said the investigation is ongoing, and further arrests are anticipated.