Highlands home targeted for theft, homeowner believes

Family’s outdoor recreational activity curtailed with theft of dirt bikes

A Highlands family continues to hold out hope that they may see their dirt bikes returned, after three were stolen from their home’s shop in a brazen overnight robbery.

Jan Scholz, whose family lives on 10 acres on Davies Road, deep in the municipality, believes the thieves must have staked out their home in advance of the April 28 break-in. Their property has two access driveways leading to the home and it appears the thieves used one usually roped off to gain access.

“I think the whole thing that is people were on our property, that’s the part that’s frightening,” she said. “This doesn’t seem like a crime of opportunity. They would have had to have a trailer, and the shop is very close to our house and our bedroom windows are nearby.”

The Kawasaki motorbikes, including a green 2012 KXL-140L, an orange 2002 KTM-50 and a green 1991 Kawasaki 60, were a big part of her two children’s lifestyle, Scholz said.

“Our 13 year old lives and breathes his motorbike,” she said, noting that it had been purchased recently. Her nine-year-old daughter, who began riding in the past year, used the smallest bike.

The break-in, believed to have taken place between midnight and 5 a.m., was one of four in a short period of time on the somewhat remote road leading up Stewart Mountain. The neighbour across the road had a vehicle stolen, Scholz said, while others also had outside buildings broken into.

West Shore RCMP Const. Alex Berube confirmed that three other residences on the street reported thefts from their properties along with the Scholzes.

The family is offering a reward for the return of the bikes and has posted photos of the motorcycles at usedvictoria.com/classified-ad/REWARD-OFFERED_24983168. Anyone with information on any of the thefts on Davies Road is asked to call West Shore RCMP at 250-474-2264 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

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Goldstream News Gazette