Police are advising outdoor enthusiasts, heading into the backcountry south of Nanaimo, about a rash of recent thefts from vehicles.
According to a press release, Nanaimo RCMP say that the Nanaimo River Road area has seen “a dozen reports of vehicles broken into” in the past month. In many cases, the vehicles have been parked overnight while owners went camping in the bush.
“On one night alone three cars were targeted,” stated the press release. “The vehicles were all locked and the thieves smashed multiple windows to gain access. One vehicle had every single window smashed out. The owners reported the vehicles had been rummaged through with items of limited value being taken. The windows are being smashed regardless of whether valuables are visible or not.”
Nanaimo River Road is in a rural area, largely unlit and sees limited nighttime use, which makes the area attractive to thieves, said police. People planning to head to the backcountry overnight may want to consider being dropped off instead of leaving their vehicle overnight, police said.
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