‘Like stealing from your grandmother:’ North Okanagan seniors residence suffers break-in

The caretaker of an Armstrong low-income seniors residence is asking for thieves to return stolen tools and maintenance equipment stolen following a break-in last week.

Caretaker Wendy Clark discovered thieves had broken into a maintenance building at the Armstrong seniors complex, Three Links Lodge, Nov. 13. In total, 31 items were stolen including a chainsaw, weed wacker and an air compressor along with various tools and other gardening equipment.

"I just want the stuff back," Clark said. "They can leave it at the back door."

Clark said she was "heartbroken" by the theft and that many seniors living at the complex are in their 80s and 90s.

"That's like stealing from your grandmother," she said.

Three Links Lodge offers low-income seniors housing and is run by B.C. Housing and the Oddfellows Society. Roughly 20 residents call it home.

Clark said thieves tried to pry the door open but were unsuccessful, so they managed to cut through the lock. She estimates the cost of the equipment stolen to be somewhere between $3,000 and $5,000.

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