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Oak Bay sees spike in thefts, drunk driving

Honda scooter, double-stroller, 2006 minivan and brass propellers all stolen
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Most crime in the District of Oak Bay is preventable, particularly theft from unlocked cars. Rarely do Oak Bay Police receive reports of break-ins to cars as thieves are able to find goods in unlocked cars. (Travis Paterson/News Staff)

Oak Bay Police reported a spike in thefts last week, with the list of stolen goods including a Honda scooter, a double-stroller, a 2006 Toyota minivan and a pair of brass propellers.

The stolen items were among the many calls Oak Bay Police responded to from Dec. 2 to 8.

The Honda scooter, a brown 2013 Giorno model, was reported stolen Dec. 2 from the 1400-block of Newport Avenue. It has a B.C. licence plate U44 075.

“If you have any information or see the scooter, please call the police and do not approach [anyone in possession of it],” said Oak Bay Police Deputy Chief Ray Bernoties. (The scooter is listed under file 2019-4589.)

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On Friday, a mother in Harling Point reported a Chariot double-stroller was stolen from her carport in the 2000-block of Quimper Avenue. The stroller is blue and black and the seats are aligned one behind the other.

Also on Friday, police received a report of two brass boat propellers stolen from the side of the owner’s house in the 2000-block of Goldsmith Street.

The reports of thefts continued Saturday as the owner of a grey 2006 Toyota Sienna returned to Royal Victoria Yacht Club to retrieve the minivan, where he’d parked it a day earlier, and found it was gone. The van has B.C. plates 876 WWR.

The same day, a caller from 2300-block of Middowne Road reported their wallet was removed from their car, which police believe was left unlocked.

A visitor to Monterey Recreation Centre reported her wallet stolen on Saturday. She had forgotten her bag at the centre and when she returned to get it her wallet had been removed, Bernoties said.

READ MORE: Police seek public’s help for missing man known to sleep overnight on Oak Bay beaches

Judging by the spike in impaired driving infractions, drinking and driving is up in December. On Friday, Oak Bay Police issued two three-day driving suspensions, a 90-day driving suspension and 90-day vehicle impound, and charged one of the drivers with driving while prohibited.

On Saturday, police issued another three-day driving suspension, this time at Beach Drive and Windsor Road, and seized cannabis from another driver.

“Oak Bay police want to remind you that although cannabis is legal you cannot have the drug in your vehicle if it is readily available to the driver or passenger unless it is in the original packaging and the package has never been opened,” Bernoties said.

Earlier in the week the Oak Bay Police received a hit-and-run report where a resident said someone had struck her car while it was parked in the 2700-block of Somass Drive.

reporter@oakbaynews.com