Mounties investigating break-ins targeting homes of Asian business owners on Vancouver Island
Mounties in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island are warning Asian business owners that thieves appear to be specifically targeting their homes after at least three residential break-ins in recent weeks.
Investigators with the Comox Valley RCMP believe the suspects are visiting the residences prior to the break-ins to see if anyone is home, the detachment said in an advisory Wednesday.
"In the event that the suspects encounter the homeowner, they may mention that they are at the wrong house," Const. Holly Carlson said in the release. "We encourage homeowners to contact police right away if that happens."
At least three such break-ins have occurred since Feb. 24, when police responded to a home on Hornby Place, near Galloway Crescent, in Courtenay, B.C.
Four days later, officers were called to a similar break-in at a residence on Aspen Road, near Guthrie Road, in Comox, B.C.
On March 1, two days later, another break-in was reported in Courtenay, this time on Thorpe Avenue, near Valley View Drive, according to police.
B.C. RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Alex Bérubé specified that the homes that have been targeted are not the locations of home businesses but rather the homes of Asian business owners.
Cash and valuables were stolen during the home invasions, and police are urging the public to secure their properties, especially while away on vacation.
"It's ideal to have someone you trust house-sit for you so your home is still lived in while you are away," the Comox Valley RCMP said in the release. "If this is not possible, make sure your home looks lived in."
Police also advise homeowners to install doorbell cameras and security lighting around their properties.
Investigators are asking those with security cameras near the targeted residences to review their recordings and report suspicious activity to the authorities.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'oesn't get' the global phenomenom.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
Tornadoes collapse buildings and level homes in Nebraska and Iowa
Tornadoes wreaked havoc Friday in the Midwest, causing a building to collapse with dozens of people inside and destroying and damaging hundreds of homes, many around Omaha, Neb.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
opinion RFK Jr.'s presidential candidacy and its potential threat to Biden and Trump
Although it's still unclear how much damage Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s candidacy can do to either Joe Biden or Donald Trump this election, Washington political columnist Eric Ham says what is clear is both sides recognize the potential threat.
Haida elder suing Catholic Church and priest, hopes for 'healing and reconciliation'
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
Cisco reveals security breach, warns of state-sponsored spy campaign
State-sponsored actors targeted security devices used by governments around the world, according to technology firm Cisco Systems, which said the network devices are coveted intrusion points by spies.