If you have an RV parked on your property, this is an important story to read.
On the night of July 3rd, Saanich Police attended two calls, almost back to back, of an unknown person inside an RV parked on someone’s property. The first call came in at about 10pm from a homeowner in the 3800 block of Douglas Street. They had looked outside their window and saw a naked man by their motorhome. It appeared he was attempting to use their garden hose. The man then entered the motorhome and closed the door.
When we arrived, we found a 21 year old Victoria area man, still naked, inside the RV. Based on the condition of the inside of the RV, it is believed he had been living in it for at least a few days. He was arrested and now faces a charge of Break and Enter.
The second call came in about 30 minutes later from a homeowner in the 4400 block of Wilkinson Road. Earlier in the day he had returned home from a vacation and found the door to his truck camper open. When he looked inside, he saw articles of clothing that didn’t belong to him and it appeared someone had been living in it for a few days. He placed an alarm on the camper which activated later that day, indicating there was movement inside it. That is when he called police.
As with the previous call, when we arrived, we found the camper door closed however in this case, when we attempted to open it, we found that it was being held shut by someone inside. It didn’t take much persuasion to get the man to open the door though, once PSD Hitch started barking from the outside. A 20 year old man from the Victoria area was arrested for Break and Enter. He was also wanted on 6 outstanding warrants.
“These are unusual calls that have reminded us that for those seeking shelter, an RV parked idle on a property, can be appealing as a temporary home. So if you are an RV owner, take the time to frequently check your RV and ensure it is secure and untampered with” said Sgt. Julie Fast, Public Information Officer for Saanich Police.
Both males were held in custody for court appearances on July 4th. Charges are now sworn against 21 year old Randy Cartwright and 20 year old Jesse Juba.
19-16454 and 19-16457