VICTORIA -- The arrests of two people in Parksville last week led to the discovery of more than $30,000 in stolen property by police, according to the Oceanside RCMP.
The arrests took place on June 18 after police received tips from the community that a man and a woman in a gold-coloured minivan were “lurking” near properties in Nanoose Bay.
Police say that the tips from the community alongside a forensic examination of a previous residential break-in in the area led police to a 47-year-old suspect in Parksville.
Mounties then located the suspect, alongside a 42-year-old woman and the gold-coloured minivan at a trailer park in Parksville.
The pair were then taken into custody, with the man placed under arrest for break and entry and the woman being arrested for breach of court conditions.
As the arrests were taking place, police say they located several items on the pairs’ person that were connected to several recent thefts and break-ins in Oceanside and Nanaimo.
Police then obtained a warrant to search the man’s trailer, as well as a storage unit in Nanaimo, where they discovered “a staggering amount” of stolen items.
Police say that more than $30,000 in stole property were located, including two stolen vehicles, two motorcycles, a gun, multiple bicycles, power tools and hand tools.
Since then, the majority of the stolen items have been returned to their rightful owners by police.
“This was excellent police work and I’m proud of the investigation put forth by the officers involved,” said Staff-Sgt. Marc Pelletier of the Oceanside RCMP.
“It is fantastic to get a prolific offender off the streets and to not only solve several break and entries but to get people their property back.”
The woman has since been released from custody on several conditions with a promise to appear in court. The man remains in custody and is facing several undisclosed charges.
