Warning: Graphic content Mounties in Langley say they arrested a known sex offender for trespassing last week, then arrested him again for breaking and entering just five days later. Michael Wayne Carpenter has been charged in both incidents, the first of which occurred shortly before midnight on Aug. 12, according to a statement from Langley RCMP Wednesday. The detachment said its officers were called to a report from a resident of the Willoughby area, who said they had seen an unknown man in their backyard. Police located Carpenter in the area and arrested him, according to the statement. “He was held in custody pending his court appearance and was subsequently released,” it reads. Five days later, on Monday, Aug. 17, Langley RCMP officers were called to a residential break-in at an apartment complex in the 19700 block of 64 Avenue. “The complainant reported finding an unknown man inside their residence,” the RCMP statement reads. “The man then left the apartment and fled the area. Officers identified a man matching the description of the suspect who fled on foot when police attempted to detain him.” Carpenter has been charged with trespassing at night in connection to the first incident. He has also been charged with breaking and entering and obstruction of a peace officer in connection to the second, according to police. He remains in custody pending a bail hearing, which online court records indicate has been scheduled for Aug. 26 in Surrey provincial court. High-risk sex offender A man by the same name was the subject of a high-risk sex offender warning from the Vancouver Police Department in July 2020, and Langley RCMP confirmed to CTV News that the man arrested in their jurisdiction this week is the same man. At the time, the VPD said Carpenter was in the midst of a 10-year long-term supervision order and was considered to pose “a risk of significant harm to the safety of vulnerable female children, youth and adults.” The order stemmed from convictions on three counts of sexual assault with a weapon, three counts of forcible confinement and three counts of uttering threats to cause death or harm, police said at the time. Carpenter was also the subject of warnings from the VPD in 2015—when he moved to Vancouver after his release from prison—and 2016, after his parole had been revoked for attempting to break into a hotel in the city. Langley RCMP seek witnesses In relation to Carpenter’s latest alleged offences, Langley RCMP are asking anyone who has information relevant to their investigations or who witnessed suspicious activity in the locations mentioned to call the detachment’s non-emergency line at 604-532-3200. “Residents should never have to fear for their safety inside their own homes,” said Supt. Harm Dosange, the detachment’s officer in charge, in the statement. “These incidents are particularly alarming. Through the rapid response of our officers and the invaluable support of the Integrated Police Dog Services team, a suspect was quickly located and taken into custody.” If you or someone you know is struggling with sexual assault or trauma, the following resources are available to support people in crisis:
