A group of wineries in B.C.’s Okanagan are appealing to the police to step up patrols after a rash of break-ins that have hit at least 10 properties.
After four recent thefts and two break-ins, Church and State Winery in Oliver is thinking about how to beef up security without losing the welcoming feel in their winery.
“It kind of feels like to us that the criminals are getting more and more bold,” said Jeff Del Nin.
Some wineries have captured security footage of thieves smashing windows to get inside their tasting rooms.
Frustrated by the crime, Black Hills Estate Winery is circulating a petition aimed at getting the RCMP to increase enforcement.
Glenn Fawcell says they’ve lost computers and iPads and the robberies.
“We’ve had two different attempts by these crooks to stela this safe, which fortunately had nothing in it. They’ve been on a rampage,” he told CTV News.
RCMP say they’re doing what they can to discourage crime but admit there are challenges patrolling the wineries.
"With wineries, it's a little difficult in a sense that these properties are on remote locations, large rural acreages and a car driving by might not even see a break-in,” said Cpl. Dan Moskaluk of Southeast District RCMP.
Mounties are urging wineries to take measures of their own, including not leaving cash on site.
