Canada Day celebrations proved successful in Victoria and from the Oak Bay Police stand point.
Oak Bay Police Department’s Chief Constable Andy Brinton reported no additional calls for service related to Canada Day events.
“There were some small-scale private celebrations at people’s homes but nothing that caused any calls for service,” Brinton said.
OBPD did conduct road checks at night, in Oak Bay at other events in the region, auditing drivers for alcohol or drug consumption.
“Fortunately we found no impaired drivers,” said the chief.
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Oak Bay Police did respond to a series of typical calls in the week leading up to Canada Day, including break-ins to Monterey middle school, the Carnarvon baseball concession and one at the University of Victoria.
On Friday, June 28, a thief (or thieves) removed nine Apple MacBook laptops from a Monterey school classroom. OBPD managed to recover eight of the computers and return them to the school.
Earlier in the week on Tuesday, police attended Carnarvon Park in response to an attempted break and enter to the baseball club’s concession stand. The suspect(s) tried to pry the front door and a window open but failed in both instances to gain access. The same day OBPD attended a break in at UVic’s Petch Buildng, where suspect pried a door to a locked classroom. However, nothing of value was reported missing.
Thieves did manage to gain access to a pair of homes. On Tuesday, thieves entered a vacant residence under renovation on Oliver Street by prying open the rear-basement door. Trade tools worth $600 to $700 were removed. Then on Friday, a suspect(s) used a ladder that was on the property of an Oakdowne home and entered a second-storey bedroom window. They removed a window screen to get in and ransacked the entire residence.
Police also stopped a driver for excessive speed at the 3400-block of Henderson Road on Saturday and impounded the driver’s car for seven days.
Brinton also added that summer is prime for property criminals who lurk through Oak Bay looking to capitalize on unlocked homes and vehicles.
Oak Bay residents have a history of leaving their cars and homes unlocked.
READ MORE: Oak Bay residents still not locking their car doors
Oak Bay Police remind residents to be mindful of the current spike in graffiti vandalism as the vandals continue to deface public and private property in Oak Bay (and Victoria).
Anyone with any information is asked to call the Oak Bay Police at 250-592-2424.