Five arrested, burglary ring busted, thanks to vigilant Nanaimo neighbour

NANAIMO, B.C. – A sharp-eyed neighbour in Nanaimo, B.C., has helped shatter a burglary ring that police believe has been operating in that Vancouver Island city for a month.

An early morning call from the neighbour on Dec. 29 alerted RCMP that two people were loading furniture into a van outside a home, but by the time officers arrived, the van was gone.

Investigators confirmed tools, paintings and other items were missing from the home, and a search of the area located the van with three people inside, along with most of the stolen property.

The trio was arrested and searches at a local hotel room and another Nanaimo home turned up items worth thousands of dollars.

Cpl. Jon Stuart says the goods are linked to the original break in, as well as several other heists reported around Nanaimo during December.

Two more people have been taken into custody and, along with the three arrested in the van, all five appear in a Nanaimo courtroom in January, with two remaining in custody until their next date.