AbbyPD announces prolific female thief now faces 10 counts related to stealing work vans

ABBOTSFORD — The Abbotsford Police Department announced Wednesday morning (Nov. 1) that a prolific thief involved in vehicle thefts dating back to the start of 2023 is facing 10 counts related to her alleged life of crime.

In late January 2023, the AbbyPD Crime Reduction Unit (CRU) began to investigate a series of 22 vehicle thefts, according to a news release from Constable Art Stele, media relations spokesperson for the department. These incidents involved the theft of work vans, which often contained thousands of dollars of tools upon which multiple victims relied on for their employment and more importantly required to earn a living, Cst. Stele said.

“These occurrences were of great concern to police due to the substantial impact it was having on the victims, their families, and their businesses,” Cst. Stele said.

Through investigation and surveillance, Charlene Williams was identified as a suspect and subsequently arrested, with charges being approved for offences that occurred as far back as January 2023.