Criminals in the Comox Valley have been targeting storage units at condominium buildings, say Comox Valley RCMP.
In a press release on January 21st, Cst. Monika Terragni, Comox Valley RCMP Media Relations Officer, stated that RCMP had noted a spike in thefts from these unattended units.
Thieves have been breaking into the building, typically through the parking garage, and forcing their way into the personal storage lockers of building residents.
“On average, there have been 15 storage lockers broken into per condo building,” said Cst. Terragni in the release.
“This has proven to be a lucrative crime for local thieves since they get access to so many units in one place,” she added.
The Comox Valley RCMP Street Crimes Unit and the Integrated Forensic Identification Section are working on the investigations. Whether one or multiple suspects are responsible is currently unclear.
In the release, the RCMP recommended a few approaches that building residents could take to limit the damage done by thieves, and the thefts themselves.
The RCMP says residents should ensure the overhead security gate is completely closed when entering or exiting their building, and shouldn’t hold the security door open for strangers.
Residents should not keep sensitive information in external storage lockers, and should keep track of serial numbers for items kept in the lockers. They should also report any suspicious activity to the RCMP as it is happening, the release adds.
In a follow-up email to Victoria Buzz, Cst. Terragni said that building owners and managers should consider purchasing video surveillance equipment, joining a Block Watch program, and making sure there is adequate lighting around parking and storage facilities.
If you have any information regarding these thefts, you can contact Comox Valley RCMP at 250-338-1321.
