Three break-ins over nine days frustrate police and businesses

VERNON – It’s been a rough couple of weeks for Vernon businesses.

Over Thanksgiving weekend, Canada Post and Del Selin Gunsmith Ltd. were broken into, and now a third business has been targeted. Around 2:30 a.m. this Monday morning, thieves smashed a window and entered the Shoppers Drug Mart on 31 Ave.

They made off with an assortment of computer components that had been on display by the window.

“It appears we have some individuals that are very active in our community right now,” RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk says. “Whether it’s a group or more… our officers are trying hard to identify that.”

Molendyk is reminding shopkeepers to store valuable merchandise away from display windows, making it harder, or at least more time consuming, for thieves to reach in and grab items.

“It’s frustrating for business owners as well (as for police) because it seems the more security they put into place, the greater methods these individuals go to get in, like you know, driving vehicles through the front,” Molendyk says.

The suspects in the Shoppers Drug Mart break-in are described as skinny and wearing black hoodies and gloves. The first appeared to have black pants, white shoes, shorter hair and a darker complexion.

The second male had a dark toque under his hoodie, and appeared to have grey pants and black shoes with white trim along the sides. 

Police continue to investigate the recent downtown break-ins and ask anyone with tips to call the Vernon detachment at 250-545-7171, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infotelnews.ca, call (250)309-5230 or tweet @charhelston.