The year changed but the ongoing trend of marine equipment reported stolen from in and around the Royal Victoria Yacht Club did not.
On the first Saturday of the new decade, the Oak Bay Police Department received a pair of reports of significant thefts from the area. Missing are a Suzuki outboard motor from a dinghy at the yacht club. Also missing from a separate address nearby at the 2600-block of Currie Street is a 15-foot Zephyr Kayak. The kayak is red in colour. Both items were reported missing overnight.
The thefts are the latest in an uptick of activity in the area despite added measures by Oak Bay police.
“We’ve assigned a liaison officer and we’ve enhanced our patrols – both visible patrols and unmarked patrols,” said Oak Bay Deputy Chief Ray Bernoties. “We’re asking anyone who sees any suspicious activity in the area to call 911.”
The first Monday of 2020 means many head back to work & school. This means more traffic on the roads, more kids crossing streets, more cyclists riding & school zones in effect.This tends to make some drivers go faster & become less patient, however, the exact opposite is needed. pic.twitter.com/OSFR7I0STr
— Oak Bay Police (@OakBayPolice) January 6, 2020
READ MORE: Single-vehicle crash kills Garry oak on Foul Bay Road
At about 3 p.m. on Friday, the driver of a late-model Fiat lost control of the vehicle while travelling northbound and crashed into Garry oak tree just north of McNeill Avenue. The crash split the tree (which was removed by Oak Bay staff) and sent a large portion of it into the hydro pole. Luckily, only telecommunications lines were affected.
On Saturday, police responded to a report of a suspicious person at a business in the 2000-block of Cadboro Bay Road. Police located a man walking away from the area and observed him commit a Motor Vehicle Act offence, he was identified and found to have an outstanding warrant for his arrest.
READ ALSO: James Bay runner logs every street in Oak Bay, Victoria
The new year also turned over with Oak Bay’s first reported theft from an unlocked vehicle. The first report of the week, backdated to Dec. 30, occurred when a resident in the 2000-block of Foul Bay Road had their car entered sometime overnight and personal electronics stolen. The first theft from an unlocked vehicle in 2020 was reported following New Year’s Eve from the 2900-block of Henderson Road. Items were “ruffled through” though nothing was removed.
Police have not identified any suspects at this time and urge residents to keep vehicles locked and valuables out of sight.
Anyone who may have information regarding the above incidents is asked to call the Oak Bay Police Department at 250-592-2424.
