A woman was arrested in Nanaimo after trying to break into an occupied motor home, then attempting to sell drugs to the break-in victim.
Nanaimo RCMP made the arrest Wednesday, April 1, following an incident at about 9 a.m. in the 700 block of Drake Street in the Brechin Hill neighbourhood.
Lori Hall told the News Bulletin that the woman made repeated attempts to open the locked door of the RV as Hall yelled at her to go away while at the same time calling RCMP.
“She told me she was coming for me, then offered to sell me meth, before freaking out again … she really wanted in our RV and kept screaming that I was living rent-free in it,” Hall said.
The woman finally left the yard and headed toward Estevan Road where she was picked up by the police.
According to Nanaimo RCMP, the suspect was found to be under the influence of illicit street drugs and was arrested for mischief, issued a violation ticket for trespassing and taken to Nanaimo RCMP detachment cells where she was held in custody until she was deemed fit to be released.
Hall said she was concerned that issuing the woman a ticket only means she will likely have to rob someone to pay it.
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Hall added that disturbances, thefts and attempted break-ins have been part of life in the neighbourhood for a long time. They abated somewhat, she said, after a nearby drug house was shut down, but have recently started occurring again and with people self-isolating at home she’s noticed more people using drugs openly in her neighbourhood.
“I try not to look at night anymore because I don’t sleep well,” Hall said. “I used to always see what was happening.”
Hall said fear has given way to anger, even in the face of incidents such as Wednesday’s.
“It’s a little bit shocking to me because we have a foster daughter who’s disabled and we pretend to camp out there, so if I run in to get her a drink or [take a bathroom break] is she going to experience someone trying to break in? … If the door had been unlocked while I was in there, the lady would have just come inside…” Hall said. “It’s just discouraging. It happens so much.”
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