On February 18, police were approached by a resident of the 2000 block of Hampshire Road who wished to report that someone had attempted to break into his home the day prior. The male stated that upon his return home (yesterday), his deadbolt came apart in pieces as he inserted his key. A locksmith was called and the deadbolt replaced. No entry to the home was gained. Given the time delay in reporting and the fact that the physical evidence had been repaired, there was little police could do to investigate. Citizens are asked to please report anything suspicious as soon as you can. Timely information, no matter how minor it might seem, could help your police department in the bigger picture.
At 4am on February 20, an employee of the Victoria Golf Course arrived at work to observe a male on a BMX bicycle departing the maintenance area. A quick check of the buildings found that an attempt had been made to pry the door to an office open. No entry was gained. Immediate patrols were made of the area but no one was located. The suspect description was given to include a puffy, camouflage jacket and a small, round, black helmet. The file is still under investigation.
Sometime overnight (Feb 19/20) a shed was broken into on Satellite Street and an expensive Cannondale racing bicycle was stolen. The locking latch of the shed, on private property close to the beach, had been pried off affording access. The bicycle is described as red with yellow lettering. There is black and yellow tape on the handlebars.
Residents in the 1800 block of Bowker Place returned home after a 24 hour absence to find that their home had been broken into. The break in likely occurred overnight (Feb 19/20). The culprit(s) entered the home through a sunroom on the back of the home and then broke a small window to get from the sunroom into the main portion of the house. A small amount of jewelry was stolen. Forensic identification was called to the scene. The investigation is ongoing.
At 1am on February 21, police and the Oak Bay Fire Department responded to Pentland Road for a vehicle fire. A 2003 Ford Escape was found engulfed in flames. OBFD put the fire out and police spoke with the vehicle’s owner. It seems that his alarm had gone off just five minutes prior to the fire. He had gone outside, physically checked the vehicle and had determined there was no problem. Five minutes later the vehicle was a write-off. Initial investigation by the OBFD points to an electrical malfunction within the vehicle as the likely cause of the fire.
Sometime overnight on February 20/21, an unlocked vehicle was entered in the 1100 block of Beach Drive and two cameras, a set of keys, sunglasses and ferry passes were stolen. There are no witnesses or suspects.
At 8:30pm on February 21, police were called to the Oak Bay Beach Hotel where staff had detained a 37 year old male from Edmonton for refusing to pay his $1600 bill. It seems the male concocted a rather elaborate ruse assuring the hotel that his expenses were to be picked up by a government agency. When the male was observed leaving the hotel with his bags and still no arrangement for payment had been received, he was stopped. Investigation has found that this male has pulled similar scams in the Province of Alberta and that he had made similar false arrangements with other hotels in Victoria as well. The male has been held in custody awaiting an appearance before a judge.
