More jail for prolific Kelowna thief who swiped parcels and stole toilet paper

A 25-year-old Kelowna man who caused thousands of dollars’ worth of damage breaking into apartment buildings, although managed to steal relatively little, will spend more time behind bars.

Austin Bradley Pedersen appeared at the Kelowna courthouse, July 10, facing 19 charges related to a string of break-ins that took place over the summer of 2025.

The court heard how Pedersen broke into numerous downtown Kelowna condo buildings, often stealing Amazon parcels, cutting open parcels and rummaging around. In one break-in, he stole a mountain bike and tools, but in another he left with just six rolls of toilet paper after busting the lock to get into the janitor’s closet.

“His choices have had lasting consequences that extend far beyond the value of the items that were stolen or damaged,” one building manager said as he read a victim impact statement to the court. “This crime has changed how our residents feel about their own homes. Many residents no longer feel safe storing their bicycles in the bike room or keeping their personal belongings in the storage area. Others are afraid to leave their packages in the mailroom because they worry they will be stolen or destroyed.”

Pedersen’s current crime spree started in May 2025 when he broke into a condo building on Bernard Avenue. He stole an Amazon parcel that contained a thermostat worth $750 that was for a heat pump. 

In a statement to the court, the building manager had said it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep the building secure as thieves have access to cordless tools.

“It becomes difficult to try and strike a balance between making the building more secure and not making it seem more and more like a prison,” Crown prosecutor Jordan Schroeder said, quoting the building manager’s statement. 

The next break-in took place later that month when Pedersen broke into a condo building on Old Okanagan Highway in West Kelowna.

He caused more than $4,000 in damage by breaking multiple exterior and interior doors but left with nothing.

Weeks later, he was back at the building and managed to sneak in after a resident left. This time he swiped parcels worth $179.

In another break-in, Pedersen had a fob to access the building, but only left with the toilet paper after busting the janitor’s closet lock.

Later in the summer, he managed to enter another condo building on Ambrosi Road in Kelowna and then broke into the mailroom.

“He cut through eight packages left out in the open, rummaged through each of them. He then proceeded to the bike room and inspected multiple bikes, but didn’t steal any,” Schroeder said.

The building then spent thousands of dollars upgrading its security.

“Beyond the financial burden, this offence has taken away our residents’ sense of security,” a statement on behalf of the residents said. “People should be able to come home and feel safe in their place where they live. Instead, now many worry about theft, vandalism, and whether their property will still be there the next day.”

Provincial Court Judge Andrew Tam said the material loss was relatively minor compared to the psychological and emotional impact the break-in had on the residents of the buildings.

The Crown said Pedersen had only been out of prison for a few months when the break-in spree started. He had five previous convictions for break and enter and other convictions for using fraudulently obtained documents as well as multiple breaches of probation and house arrest.

The 25-year-old has also spent time behind bars for aggravated assault and assault with a weapon.

“There are many aggravating factors and essentially no mitigating factors,” the Crown told the court.

The Crown said Pedersen had argued for bail and rehabilitation but then done poorly. 

He was released to a treatment centre, but a couple of months later failed his house arrest check.

“Mr. Pedersen needs to understand that this sentencing hearing, that the door for rehabilitation is rapidly closing,” the Crown said.

Little was heard about Pedersen’s life, only that he’d grown up in Kelowna with a single mom, had been in trouble since he was a teenager, and suffered from addiction issues.

“Mr. Pedersen is a young man, 25 years of age, but even at that tender age, he has amassed a substantial criminal record,” Judge Tam said. 

Lawyers put forward a joint submission to the court for 18 months jail. His guilty pleas cut down on significant court time and the complex reality of running trials.

Judge Tam accepted the sentence, leaving Pedersen with six months in jail after time already served.

In a rare move, Judge Tam also ordered a restitution order for Pedersen to pay back roughly $5,000 to cover the damage. There was no time frame set for when the money had to be paid back.

Pedersen’s legal woes aren’t over, as he has several weapons charges ticking through the court system.