Things have started on a slower note for the Campbell River RCMP in 2020.
Although police responded to 313 calls between February 4th and 11th, which was up 28 per cent for the same week compared to last year, overall calls on the year are down 2.5 per cent compared to this time in 2019.
With that said the RCMP says it’s seen a rash of vehicle break-ins over the last three weeks. Many of the break-ins, police say, have happened where vehicles are being parked for several days at a time. The Tyee Plaza parking lot appears to be being targeted by one or more people.
The thefts are referred to as “smash and grabs”, with the thieves typically looking for spare change left in consoles, credit/debit cards, or an item the crook can quickly sell.
“These crimes are extremely unfortunate,” said Cst Maury Tyre. “The damage being done to the vehicles is often a higher value than the items the thieves manage to get. It is extremely important for us at the Campbell River RCMP that we apprehend the people who would conduct such criminal activity. Patrols have been stepped up in the targeted areas, but the eyes of the public are always a valuable source of information as police are not capable of maintaining watch in these areas 24/7 because they must also respond to immediate calls for service.”
If you have any information about these vehicle break-ins or any other crimes, you’re asked to call the Campbell River RCMP at 250-286-6221.
