Oliver RCMP is on the hunt for a criminal they believe to be responsible for six different break-ins and thefts over the last 48 hours.
The six incidents involved multiple businesses in the area.
“These types of crimes are very frustrating to our hardworking business owners. In many cases, the damage done is more expensive to fix than the value of what is taken” said Sgt. Don Wrigglesworth of the Oliver RCMP.
The series of crimes began with a break-in on Oct. 10, at around 5:30 a.m. when a business in the 6800 block of Highway 97 called to report a break-in.
Officers found the front door was broken by the frame and that a drawer was on the ground. The business owner was on scene and advised that cash, a key for a truck, a Luminex and a Canon camera were stolen.
Video footage shows a single man enter the business briefly and depart through an orchard.
At 9:45 a.m. on Oct. 11, a construction site in the 5900 Block of Sawmill Road reported seven feet of black metal cladding, a couple of chairs, garbage cans and of boxes of nails stolen, all worth approximately $1,500.
Just over an hour later, officers responded to a storage facility in the same block that had been broken into overnight. The owner said that his locker was broken into between 6 p.m. and 11 a.m. and that a $250 workbench, $300 industrial propane heater, and four boxes of motorcycle stock pipes worth $2,000 were stolen.
On Oct. 12, RCMP responded to an attempted break-in at 4:41 a.m. at a business in the 5800 block of Main Street in Oliver.
The store owner reported that her front window was smashed and someone attempted to pry open the door frame. Police found the glass double door smashed and serious pry marks to the door, disabling it. Tools from a neighbouring business were left behind at this scene.
Video footage shows a man wearing a blue hoodie, beige/black jacket, black shoes, black pants and on a bicycle. This individual appears to be the same man who was caught on surveillance footage elsewhere.
Just 10 minutes later, another business at the 6300 block of Main Street reported a break-in. Officers met the employees on scene and found the front glass doors had been smashed with a rock. An initial investigation found that only some food items and pop were missing.
Security footage from that business is still being reviewed.
The final incident was an overnight break-and-enter at the 6400 block of Park Drive in Oliver, where a man was once again caught on security camera.
The suspect can be seen smashing the front window in the door with a small axe and climbing in, climbing over the counter and taking cash from the register. He then stole a handful of chocolate bars and cola from the fridge.
The surveillance footage shows the man riding up on a bike and entering the business wearing a blue hoody, blue jeans, black skate shoes, dark pants overtop jeans and a large black and beige jacket; with his hood up and a COVID mask on.
Information that can help identify the man in the surveillance footage or recover the stolen property can be shared with the Oliver RCMP by calling their non-emergency line at 250-498-3422.
READ ALSO: Interior Health, RCMP investigating patient fatality at Penticton hospital
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