NEWS RELEASE
NIAGARA REGIONAL POLICE SERVICE
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On Feb. 6, 2021, at approximately 5:35 p.m., 1 District – St. Catharines uniform officers from the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) responded to the area of Front Street North and Regent Street in Thorold for a report of a commercial break and enter in progress.
Officers arrived on scene and were directed to a fenced compound where two suspects were observed looking at cars. Officers climbed the fence and located a suspect hiding under a car. The suspect was found to be in possession of two catalytic converters. An examination of the cars in the fenced compound found two were missing their catalytic converters. The suspect was arrested.
Pavel Vakoulich (35 years old) of no fixed address, was arrested and charged for the offence of:
- Break and enter, commit theft, Section 348.1(b), C.C.
Vakoulich was held in custody and attended a video bail hearing on Feb. 7, 2021.
He was held in custody at that time, and remains there. The identity of the possible second suspect remains unknown. Anyone who may have information about this incident is asked to contact the Niagara Regional Police at 905-688-4111, extension 1024233.
If you have information about catalytic converter thefts in Niagara and wish to remain anonymous, consider contacting Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-8477. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to persons who contact the program with information which leads to an arrest.
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