A man has been arrested in connection with a series of break-ins in which tens of thousands of dollars in jewelry and cash was taken from homes in Mississauga in the past month or so.

Investigators with the Peel Regional Police Break-and-Enter Auto and Retail squad, aka BEAR unit, arrested a man on Thursday near Square One Shopping Centre in Mississauga. With help from Canada Border Services Agency officers, Peel police located and arrested a suspect at a residence in the city’s downtown core. 

In addition to the arrest, officers recovered approximately $31,000 in cash and $36,000 worth of jewelry, police said in a news release on Friday. 

Members of the 11 Division BEAR unit in Mississauga’s west end began their investigation, dubbed Project NOMAD, on March 26 with the goal of solving a series of break-and-enters that had targeted homes across the city.

Their probe determined that a man had entered homes “during the evening hours and focused on stealing jewelry and currency from the upstairs bedrooms.”

Gerard Barrett, 39, of no fixed address, faces multiple charges. (Photo: Peel Regional Police)

Gerard Barrett, 39, of no fixed address, is charged with:

Break-and-enter and commit indictable offence — four counts
Possession of property obtained by crime — four counts
Disguise with intent
Possession of break-in instruments

Investigators were able to identify and then return the recovered property to the rightful owners, police said.

The investigation continues.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call police at 905-453-2121, ext. 1133, or Peel Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.

BEAR squad a relatively new team of crime fighters

The Peel police BEAR squad is a new crime-fighting team formed to reduce break-ins and car thefts in Mississauga and Brampton. Launched last Sept. 1, it utilizes a specialized unit of plainclothes officers that targets “organized break-and-enter and auto-related crimes.”

The squad is part of a pilot project designed to “enhance enforcement, strengthen victim support and proactively disrupt criminal networks affecting communities across Peel,” Peel police said in late December.

The BEAR unit was established “after a growing trend of calculated and coordinated crimes was identified in Peel, including break-and-enters and auto theft,” police noted earlier.

In the first three months of the pilot, the BEAR unit made “significant arrests, recovered many vehicles and laid over 160 charges, disrupting organized property crime” in Mississauga and Brampton, police added.

As of late March, the new squad has arrested 55 suspects, laid 366 charges and recovered 184 stolen vehicles, police said earlier.


INsauga’s Editorial Standards and Policies

Last 30 Days: 36,801 Votes

All Time: 1,306,034 Votes

440 VOTES
Are rising airfare prices stopping you from booking trips right now?

WIN A $100 GIFT CARD

Subscribe to INsauga’s daily email newsletter for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card.