In the 14 years of living at my home, which is close to downtown Victoria ( i.e. drug trade), various items have been stolen my vehicles (small items, always the parking change) which are parked 50’ from the street. In most cases the thefts have been minor, but several years ago a large amount of silver jewelry was stolen from my wife’s car, the night before she was going to a craft fair.
The jewellery was stolen by a causal worker employed by a carpenter doing some work on the front stairs. I gave the police the suspect’s name and grandmother’s address, where he was staying at in Victoria to the police.
Nothing recovered - never heard back from the police.
In June 2012 my detached carport/garage and vehicles were broken into in the middle of the night. My titanium mountain bike (had it 20-years), various camping equipment, jewellery making tools, automotive tools, cordless drills and related equipment were stolen in the middle of the night. Total value of the theft was just under $9,000 (largest portion being the bike) which I got about $ 0.50 on the dollar. The police came and took finger prints, took written statements, but I now believe the police exercise is go through the motions, get the victim (me) a case number so I can file an insurance claim. I just renewed house insurance and lost my 5-years claims free discount, so my house insurance premium went up.
Nothing recovered - never heard back from the police.
It has become more than obvious that I can’t depend on the police. I expected the thieves would return. Over the summer I had silent alarms installed in the detached carport/garages, which would buzz in the house. An audible alarm in the carport would likely scare him off (with what he had had in his pockets) but he would not be caught allowing him to continue his nighttime hobby. My objective was to get the scumbag in jail.
Last Tuesday night I came in from the garage at about 8:00 PM and set the alarm. At 2:30 AM the alarm went off and I got partially dressed and looked out the kitchen window and saw all the motion lights were on along the driveway (two pairs) – very strange - I thought it must be an animal that tripped the alarm in the carport??. So I walked up the driveway to investigate (bear spray in my pocket) expecting maybe a raccoon? -- but saw nothing. Then I saw my wife’s car door was open, and in the dim light I could not see anything so I thought I had been too late and the scumbag had fled.
I walked up to have a look, but in the low light and a dark interior I could not make out anything. I was two feet from the open car door and made out a figure with a dark hoodie over his head rifling through the glove box. I was right next to him and realized the scumbag is still in the car!!!! I yarded the scumbag out the car and tore his jacket off (good for dog tracking). He ran down the driveway and so we scuffled and I threw him over a two foot high flower pot which he broke. I chased him across the street and got him again and during the melee I discharged my bear spray at very close range, but I got back spray in my face and he bolted from my grasp. I had to head home to wash out my eyes. Lesson learned - aiming bear spray with those clumsy (bottom heavy) bottles with that cheap Mickey Mouse trigger set-up in close quarters is not advised.
My wife called the police and the Oak Bay, Saanich and Victoria police arrived with a dog team and with the scent from the jacket, they went looking for the intruder. Although, the police dog had his scent, the dog lost it for a while, but latter the intruder was picked up and now sits in the Saanich jail cell. The scumbag is well known to police and sitting in jail as “the investigation continues”.
Upon reflection when I walked up the garage I should have assumed someone was still in the garage, but the driveway lights were shining in my eyes which make it impossible to see in the carport. While I was getting my medical check the police took my wife’s car for fingerprinting. We picked the car up yesterday after they had checked for prints.
I am hoping now they can connect this scumbag to the theft in June so I at least I know I am dealing with one scumbag rather than multiple scumbags.
Planning has commenced for Phase II of my Homeland Security Plan.
The jewellery was stolen by a causal worker employed by a carpenter doing some work on the front stairs. I gave the police the suspect’s name and grandmother’s address, where he was staying at in Victoria to the police.
Nothing recovered - never heard back from the police.
In June 2012 my detached carport/garage and vehicles were broken into in the middle of the night. My titanium mountain bike (had it 20-years), various camping equipment, jewellery making tools, automotive tools, cordless drills and related equipment were stolen in the middle of the night. Total value of the theft was just under $9,000 (largest portion being the bike) which I got about $ 0.50 on the dollar. The police came and took finger prints, took written statements, but I now believe the police exercise is go through the motions, get the victim (me) a case number so I can file an insurance claim. I just renewed house insurance and lost my 5-years claims free discount, so my house insurance premium went up.
Nothing recovered - never heard back from the police.
It has become more than obvious that I can’t depend on the police. I expected the thieves would return. Over the summer I had silent alarms installed in the detached carport/garages, which would buzz in the house. An audible alarm in the carport would likely scare him off (with what he had had in his pockets) but he would not be caught allowing him to continue his nighttime hobby. My objective was to get the scumbag in jail.
Last Tuesday night I came in from the garage at about 8:00 PM and set the alarm. At 2:30 AM the alarm went off and I got partially dressed and looked out the kitchen window and saw all the motion lights were on along the driveway (two pairs) – very strange - I thought it must be an animal that tripped the alarm in the carport??. So I walked up the driveway to investigate (bear spray in my pocket) expecting maybe a raccoon? -- but saw nothing. Then I saw my wife’s car door was open, and in the dim light I could not see anything so I thought I had been too late and the scumbag had fled.
I walked up to have a look, but in the low light and a dark interior I could not make out anything. I was two feet from the open car door and made out a figure with a dark hoodie over his head rifling through the glove box. I was right next to him and realized the scumbag is still in the car!!!! I yarded the scumbag out the car and tore his jacket off (good for dog tracking). He ran down the driveway and so we scuffled and I threw him over a two foot high flower pot which he broke. I chased him across the street and got him again and during the melee I discharged my bear spray at very close range, but I got back spray in my face and he bolted from my grasp. I had to head home to wash out my eyes. Lesson learned - aiming bear spray with those clumsy (bottom heavy) bottles with that cheap Mickey Mouse trigger set-up in close quarters is not advised.
My wife called the police and the Oak Bay, Saanich and Victoria police arrived with a dog team and with the scent from the jacket, they went looking for the intruder. Although, the police dog had his scent, the dog lost it for a while, but latter the intruder was picked up and now sits in the Saanich jail cell. The scumbag is well known to police and sitting in jail as “the investigation continues”.
Upon reflection when I walked up the garage I should have assumed someone was still in the garage, but the driveway lights were shining in my eyes which make it impossible to see in the carport. While I was getting my medical check the police took my wife’s car for fingerprinting. We picked the car up yesterday after they had checked for prints.
I am hoping now they can connect this scumbag to the theft in June so I at least I know I am dealing with one scumbag rather than multiple scumbags.
Planning has commenced for Phase II of my Homeland Security Plan.
