A Nanaimo woman experienced a startling surprise when she woke up to discover an unfamiliar man sound asleep on her living room couch.
The incident, which took place in the early hours of Monday, August 28th, unfolded at a townhome situated in the southern part of Nanaimo.
The woman, who has opted to remain anonymous, promptly dialed 911 to report the unusual situation.
Upon arrival, Nanaimo RCMP say they encountered an individual who was visibly inebriated and appeared to be in a state of deep slumber on the woman’s couch.
The officers attempted to engage in conversation with the man, but his heavily impaired condition made it difficult for him to recall even his own name, according to R/Cst Gary O’Brien of the Nanaimo RCMP.
Following their assessment, the 22-year-old Nanaimo man was taken into custody on charges of break and enter. Subsequently, the man was transported to a holding facility where he could safely sober up.
Meanwhile, the homeowner expressed a lack of interest in pursuing charges against the individual. During her conversation with the officers, she revealed that she had forgotten to lock her doors when she went to bed, which could have facilitated the man’s entry.
There were no signs of forced entry and nothing was missing. The officers and homeowner believe the individual had simply wandered into the wrong townhouse.
“This appears to have been an alcohol fueled case of mistaken identity. Having said that, it was certainly a wake-up call for the homeowner and a great reminder for everyone, to ensure all exterior doors and windows are locked before retiring for the evening,” said O’Brien.
