Mounties say thieves targeting railway batteries on Vancouver Island

Investigators believe the thefts likely involve several perpetrators, saying the suspects may be wearing high-visibility vests and pretending to be maintenance workers. (RCMP)

Mounties on Vancouver Island say thieves are stealing batteries from railway control boxes, causing an estimated $800,000 in damages and replacement costs since the summer.

Five of the battery thefts were reported in the Nanaimo area, but investigators say thieves have been targeting the railway boxes from Greater Victoria to the Comox Valley since August.

The most recent theft was reported on the night of Oct. 19 at a railway crossing near the Nanaimo intersection of Comox Road and Kennedy Street.

"The thefts are occurring late at night, and in most cases, there are no witnesses or CCTV in the area to assist with the investigation," Nanaimo RCMP spokesperson Const. Gary O’Brien said in a news release Wednesday.

Investigators believe the thefts likely involve several perpetrators, saying the suspects may be wearing high-visibility vests and pretending to be maintenance workers.

"These thefts take time and these people are brazen," O'Brien told CTV News, estimating the weight of each battery at between 13 and 18 kilograms.

Police believe the batteries are not being sold for scrap metal but are rather being used as power sources.

"There is a specific use for the batteries and we believe that is why these control boxes are being targeted," O'Brien said, declining to get into details about the specific use, citing concerns it could jeopardize the investigation or encourage further thefts.

Anyone who notices suspicious activity around railway control boxes, or who has information about the thefts, is asked to contact the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345.