North Bay Police have charged three people in connection with a break-in at the Hec Lavigne residence early Monday morning.

The home was unoccupied at the time as the family was in Sudbury.

The Callander Mayor passed away there.

Police say 30 year old Michael Gervais and 28 year old Kelsey Turcotte of North Bay and 24 year old Branden Leroy Penner of Powassan have all been charged with break and enter.

Chief of Police Scott Tod called the crime despicable.

“Criminals took advantage of an opportunity when a family is going through a severe time of sorrow and grief. And in the infancy of that someone breaks into their house, trashes their house and steals property from them,” he says.

Gervais was also charged with several other offenses when an arrest was made Monday night including possession of property obtained by crime, mischief, unauthorized possession of a prohibited weapon and unsafe storage of a firearm.

Tod says there was much damage to the home and the stolen items have been recovered.

Tod says this crime is having quite the impact on the family.

“The common term I’ve heard is despicable. Not only is it criminal it’s despicable too in regards to what has happened to the Lavigne family and Callander too. We lost a great leader,” Tod says.

Police say in connection with the arrest they also seized $65,000 worth of drugs, firearms and $3,400 in Canadian currency.

 

(photo by station staff)

Filed under: break-in, chief-scott-tod, hec-lavigne