Yellowknife (Apr 07/06) - Yellowknife RCMP said the arrest of a 38-year-old man may lead to the resolution of many unsolved thefts from businesses in recent months.

Eric George Wardell was arrested and charged with four counts of break-and-enter and committing an indictable offence, Sunday.

He was due to appear for a show cause hearing yesterday.

Const. Colleen Werrell said RCMP expect to lay 30 other charges against the man as the investigation proceeds.

"He was arrested following a lengthy investigation into a number of break-and-enters and safe-cracking incidents," Werrell said.

"Mr. Wardell is suspected of being involved in up to 50 outstanding cases."

Werrell said there have been 77 break-and-enter cases reported in Yellowknife since Jan. 1.

"Of these, there were 45 (complaints) at business locations," she said.

"With this arrest, the number of cases believed solved jumps from six to 31 of the 45 outstanding cases.

"This case may also provide new leads in a number of cold cases, some dating back to the late 1980s which are currently being re-examined," Werrell said.

She said the use of the new national information management computer system was helpful to investigators in drawing links between similar files.

James Clark, owner of Homelife Sunrise Real Estate on 48th Street - a recent victim of a break-in - was present at Thursday's announcement.

Clark said his business, along with three others in the area, were all targeted.

"I feel extremely violated,"he said.

"I lost a laptop computer and an $800 digital camera."

"This is really traumatic and upsets my livelihood."

Repercussions of the theft are now just beginning to be felt for Clark.

He said many valuable contacts and e-mail addresses stored in his computer have been lost.

Clark said he is kicking himself because he remembers a suspicious-looking man was in his office looking around prior to the break-in.

"I paid attention to him, but not enough. I should have reacted," said Clark.

He is now installing security measures as a deterrent.

Steve Meister, president of the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, said there is a great sense of relief throughout the business community with the arrest of a suspect.

"Hopefully we'll see a drop in crime across the city," Meister said.

"The cost of business always goes back to the consumer.

"Insurance rates go up and you have to replace stolen goods."