Abbotsford police officers arrested five men over the weekend and recommended several break and enter-related charges following a dramatic spike in property crime city-wide two weeks earlier, Const. Ian MacDonald said.

Three of the men arrested were identified and specifically targeted as suspects in previous break and enters, and officers were aware the men were in the Abbotsford area.

"Those arrests are significant enough that we should see some of the numbers come down."

The jump in break and enter thefts had local law enforcement puzzled. Officers attended 33 property-related crimes scenes between Aug. 23 and Aug. 29, almost double the city's average of 17, according to police statistics.

MacDonald said a common factor in most of the August incidents was that neighbours who saw the crimes ended up not reporting the suspicious activity they witnessed, which left police asking the community to step up and help.

The public plea seems to have paid off.

Two of the suspects officers arrested over the weekend were taken into custody after being followed by a neighbour who witnessed the crime and called police.

"It led to an arrest on the Mission side of the bridge, thanks to his observations," MacDonald said.

According to police data, one suspect was a prolific offender with 19 recorded offences, and the other individual a super-prolific offender with 32 previous charges for property-crime related offences.

"To get five suspects over the weekend - two from a fresh break and enter - is great," MacDonald said.

"The other pair was seen breaking into, and stealing affects from a number of vehicles . . . and the one guy who was sort of wreaking havoc all over the place."

Anyone who sees suspicious activity is asked to call the APD's non-emergency line at 604-859-5225.

RArnott@abbotsfordtimes.com