In the cover of the COVID-19 crisis, a thief got away with two travel-style backpacks from a store in Oak Bay Village during open hours on March 19.
Brazen daytime thefts were a trend before most of Oak Bay Avenue closed its doors to the public following provincial orders last week. The following incidents are among the reports Oak Bay Police received from March 16 to 22.
The travel backpacks are valued at approximately $200 and the incident is under investigation as the unidentified suspect was seen on the surveillance cameras.
Police were called about a strange report of mischief on March 17 from the 2000-block of Runnymede Place.
Someone smashed the glass portion of a door to the home with a small rock though no one entered. Oddly, a second incident occurred moments later across the Victoria-Oak Bay border of Foul Bay Road, in the jurisdiction of Victoria police. Both police agencies conducted extensive patrols in the area and were unable to locate any suspects.
On March 18, Oak Bay Police responded to a complaint of a drunk man stumbling in the 2100-block of Oak Bay Avenue.
The man pulled a can of beer from his coat and started drinking while in the presence of a police officer. He was subsequently arrested for being intoxicated in a public and issued a violation ticket for consuming liquor in public.
And, whether they live in Oak Bay or visit from neighbouring towns, the word is out that Oak Bay residents tend to leave valuable goods in unlocked cars.
The trend continued last week as Oak Bay police fielded calls on theft from vehicles of which eight were unlocked and in one case the perpetrator did smash out a rear window. The following items were reported stolen: a new Acer laptop (approximately valued at $700) and black LG cellphone; a skateboard with a blue bottom with skate stickers in a geometric pattern; assorted change from several of the vehicles; a debit card and a credit card; two pairs of women’s sunglasses (approximate value $300), a pair of light-grey aviator-style sunglasses and a pair of black Ryan sunglasses.
READ ALSO: Overnight car break-ins spike in Oak Bay
“In two of these occurrences, the suspects fraudulently used a debit card and credit cards at several downtown businesses,” said Chief Andy Brinton. “They were caught on surveillance cameras. A suspect has been identified in one of the incidents and the investigator is attempting to identify the other suspect.”
The thefts from vehicles were reported from the following locations: 2100-block Cadboro Bay Road, two from the 2100-block Fair Street, 2100-block Haultain Street, 2100-block Kings Road, 2100-block Carrick Street, 3000-block Larkdowne Road, 2300-block Lansdowne Road, and 2300-block Mid Downe Road.
