To the editor,
I am tired of the broken law systems allowing criminals and mentally unstable people free to harass, steal, threaten, and harm citizens all over Nanaimo.
It mostly started for me when a group of young thieves moved into my apartment building, their actions were subtle at first, they broke into a vacant apartment, then they began to steal laundry. These people have stolen from all kinds of people, in all kinds of places.
A few of these thieves are suspected of being drug users, for instance my mother found a crack pipe in their laundry more than once.
The thieves stole bikes from a group of kids, when these kids were informed they went to their door, and the thieves proceeded to chase them off with baseball bats. Thankfully the polices raided their suite later that day finding many bikes and who knows what else. They have a process of stealing bikes from all over town, they then proceed to take them to their unit, sand them down, spray paint them, chop the parts, and resell them. It is believed they sell their products to a man who sells them in Vancouver or elsewhere, this man is basically a fence for stolen goods for them, and likely a drug dealer too.
The people in my building are tired of them, I am tired of them, the police are tired of them.
No matter how many times they are charged, or the police get involved, the laws give them a slap on the wrist.
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Neighbours in my building have reported constant shouting, banging, and noise overall. One neighbour confronted them and he was threatened. I believe they tried prying our door open with a crowbar. My mother is still shocked, fed up, and scared for her life, I personally am not, as I refuse to let these criminals get to me. We ended up trying to buy cameras and putting chairs under our door handles at night. We even keep knives stashed around the apartment, and my mother is considering buying mace.
Quite frankly it is scary to know that our city is growing to become a cesspool of thieves and drug addicts, that our laws in British Columbia are so relaxed these dangers and menaces of society can roam freely with nothing but a slap on the wrist to continue their slow destruction of our community.
I am a 16-year-old guy who is now writing to a newspaper in hopes to alert the people to the current state of Nanaimo.
If we ever hope to not get robbed, or frightened to this point, we cannot be bystanders. The RCMP are doing all they can, but because of the laws it’s not enough, we as citizens need to document and report these thieves when seen regardless of the situation, regardless of being seen as a snitch or else it will likely be you they rob next.
Jacob Lassman, Nanaimo
The views and opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the writer and do not reflect the views of Black Press or the Nanaimo News Bulletin. If you have a different view, we encourage you to write to us or contribute to the discussion below.