Winnipeg police charge teens in break-ins at 2 businesses

A pair of teenagers have been charged with theft and mischief over $5,000 after two businesses in North Kildonan were broken into early Monday.

Both businesses had windows smashed, causing thousands of dollars in damage, and merchandise valued at thousands of dollars was also taken, Winnipeg police said in a news release Tuesday.

Police responding to a call about the second break-in, on Henderson Highway north of McLeod Avenue around 2:45 a.m., saw a young person running from the area and chased and caught him.

The major crimes unit continued the investigation and identified a second suspect, who was later arrested at a residence on Edison Avenue.

The Henderson Highway business had roughly $3,000 in merchandise stolen and roughly $10,200 in damage was caused when multiple windows were shattered, police said.

Police also allege the two were responsible for a break-in earlier that night on Rothesay Street near Edison Avenue, where about $1,100 in merchandise was stolen, with about $4,000 in damage from a broken front entrance window. 

A 15-year-old and a 16-year-old are charged with two counts of break, enter and theft and one count of mischief over $5,000. The 16-year-old is also charged with possessing property obtained by crime under $5,000 and two counts of failing to comply with the conditions of a release order. 

Both youth have been released on an undertaking, police said.