Gatineau Police have recovered half a million dollars worth of stolen merchandise, including jewelry and electronics, after raiding just one Aylmer home.

Following a tip from a citizen, police armed with a search warrant stormed a house off Chemin Vanier last week, turning up a stash of 400 different items kept at the property. Among the haul were:

  • 18 bicycles
  • 30 TVs and flat screens
  • Video-game consoles and games
  • Electronics such as DVD players, video cameras and CDs
  • 10 laptops
  • Currency valued at nearly $200,000
  • Hockey cards
  • Canadian Army attire
  • Several tools
  • Jewelry
  • Musical instruments
  • Sports equipment

Police also found a marijuana grow-up and seized 16 guns.

Stéphane Gravel, 29, was arrested. Police say he is responsible for at least 20 break-ins in the neighbourhood around Boulevard Europe.

Residents said they were aware of a rash of break-ins within walking distance of the house that was raided.

John Pachtole's neighbour's home was broken into. After three days later, his garage was also robbed.

"I went to go take something from my storage and realized everything was gone," Pachtole said. "Tools and all kinds of tool boxes that I had accumulated."

Gustavo Natotshiev, who lives in a townhouse on Boulevard Europe, said one of his neighbours' homes was recently robbed. Natotshiev believes he may have also been targeted, as many new homes in the subdivision are closely packed together.

"We came home and the door was kind of cracked, there was a crack in the door like someone tried to break in, but we don't really know for sure," he said.

Gravel is now facing multiple charges. He pleaded guilty on March 17 to all counts, including possession of weapons, arms trafficking, possession of stolen property and cultivation of marijuana as well as marijuana trafficking.

He received a sentence of 56 months in prison.

Police are asking Aylmer residents whose homes were burgled between Oct. 1, 2010 and March 12, 2011 to contact the department at 819-243-2345 in order to have their property returned.