Nanaimo RCMP hope the public can help identify a suspect accused of stealing a poppy donation can on Remembrance Day.
According to a Nanaimo RCMP press release, the theft occurred at about 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at the Tim Hortons restaurant on Fifth Street.
Investigators were told that a male suspect entered the business wearing a grey mask, high-visibility jacket, and a black tuque. He distracted the clerk long enough to grab the basket with the can and poppies, drop it into a shopping bag he was carrying and then walked out of the restaurant. The incident was captured by a security camera.
It is not known how much money was in the can.
The suspect is described as possibly Caucasian, 5-foot-10 to six feet tall, heavy set, and was wearing bright red gloves.
“Each and every year we get several similar reports and every year the public and our officers are outraged,” said Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman. “The public is also instrumental in quickly identifying these individuals and holding them accountable. We expect the same reaction this year and the same results.”
Anyone with information about the identity of the suspect is asked to call the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345 and quote file No. 2020-41039.
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