Saanich Police are gathering infortmation to determine the extent of an apparent crime spree in the early morning hours of Sunday, March 2.
Just before 2:30 a.m, a call reporting a mischief in the 3900 block of Cumberland Road. An occupant of the home reported that a window to a rear basement door had been broken by an unknown person. As police were responding to the call, the occupant reported hearing noises from the basement of the home and believed that the suspect had just fled from the home.
Investigators attended and found that the basement of the home had been entered unlawfully and that the unknown suspect appeared to have broken the small window of the basement door in order to defeat the interior locking mechanism on the door.
Very shortly thereafter, a call was received from the 1100 block of Union Road where a home owner reported hearing a noise in their garage. Saanich Police K9 and other police attended, however, were not able to locate anyone in the immediate area.
A search of the general area located a bicycle that was found to be laid on its side in a driveway in the 1100 block of Gait Lane. Follow up with the home owner revealed that the bicycle had been removed from a hanger inside the garage at the residence. Nothing else appeared disturbed.
A shed in the back yard of a residence in the 1100 block of Schram Place was found to have a broken window on the entry door, and apparent entry to the shed. Nothing appeared to have been taken.
Investigators at the original scene on Cumberland determined that there was no apparent theft. However, a mountain bike that was not owned by the occupants of the home appeared to have been left behind.
At approximately 4:30 a.m., a male was observed in the 4200 block of Quadra Street, standing next to a bicycle, and holding a medium sized black box. When
an officer stopped their police cruiser to speak with the male, the male dropped the property and fled from the area on foot.
Despite efforts to locate the male, he could not be located in the immediate area. The male left behind a bicycle, a Playstaton 3 console, and a partial box of tobacco. All of the items were seized by police.
At approximately 9:00 a.m., a call was received from the occupants of a residence in the 3900 block of Quadra Street, reporting an apparent break and enter and theft that had occurred during the early morning hours while the two occupants were asleep.
Investigation revealed that an unknown suspect had broken a small window in a basement door to gain entry to the basement suite. Once inside the suite, the suspect took a Playstation 3 console, a backpack containing textbooks, and a Toshiba laptop computer. An iPhone 5 that had been situated on a nightstand direcly next to where the ocupants of the home were sleeping was also taken by the suspect. Lastly, a green mountain bike was reported as stolen.
Officers confirmed that the items seized relating to the suspicious male located in the 4200 block of Quadra Street belonged to the occupants of the home in the 3900 block of Quadra Street.
Officers canvassed numerous homes in the immediate area around where these events took place. A residence in the 3900 block of St. Peters Road was found to have had two screens removed from windows at the back of the residence, however, there was no apparent entry gained. It was also determined that another residence in the 3900 block of Quadra Street had several screen removed within the previous week, which had gone unreported to Police.
“The fact that all of the these incidents appear to have occurred in such a short time span, it is believed that they been perpetrated by the same individual” Sgt. Steve Eassie said. “It would appear that the suspect may have area knowledge or be comfortable in this neighbourhood”.
All of the targeted areas to date appear to have been ground floor entry points (windows, doors etc.) all of which appear to be in the back yards of the homes.
Sheds and garages also appear to be a point of interest for this individual and should be locked if at all possible.
Area residents are asked to keep a watchful eye out for anyone that does not appear to belong in the neighbourhood, and to report their observations to Police. Based on the information from these incidents, it would appear that the chosen mode of transportation for this individual is by bicycle, or alternately on foot.
Anyone that may have information about the identity of the suspect or about these crimes are asked to contact the Saanich Police Department at 250-475-4321, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Files 14-3924, 14-3932, 14-3937
Sgt. Steve Eassie #158