A group of Blenkinsop Valley residents are banding together to help a 78-year-old woman secure her home after six suspected break-ins over the course of two weeks, all while she was in the Royal Jubilee Hospital.
Saanich police are investigating the reports and have now been to the property several times, which belongs to Anne Tolmie.
B次元官网网址淭he Saanich Police have open files into this matter and officers are actively investigating the circumstances,B次元官网网址� Inspector Damian Kowalewich said in an email to Black Press Media on Tuesday (May 28).
In what appears to be a series of burglaries, thieves made off with everything from parts of furniture to copper piping. Also missing is some antique dishware B次元官网网址� the Tolmie family has a long history in the area and the house is (or was) full of heirlooms B次元官网网址� including a 14th century Welsh plate.
She says police did not take her seriously enough at first, and so the break-ins kept happening.
It all began on Victoria Day when Tolmie said she showed up to check on her house.
B次元官网网址淓verything had been gone through,B次元官网网址� she told Black Press at the house on Tuesday afternoon. B次元官网网址淎ll the closets, all the drawers B次元官网网址� everything was open.B次元官网网址�
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She had moved out of the house in February after coming down with pneumonia, and now just returns home on day passes from Royal Jubilee Hospital.
Tolmie called Saanich police, who promptly took her back to the hospital.
B次元官网网址淭hey kind of took a cursory look through the middle of the house and grabbed me by the arms and said B次元官网网址榶ouB次元官网网址檙e supposed to be in the hospitalB次元官网网址� and took me back,B次元官网网址� she said.
She returned to the house each day for the next few days, finding each time it had been broken into again. Eventually she called a police line to try to reach the RCMP because she said Saanich Police didnB次元官网网址檛 seem to be doing anything about it.
A Victoria police officer and a nurse showed up, and then got the ball rolling toward a more thorough investigation by the Saanich Police Department.
Police found a pry bar and a discarded cigarette butt in the house, all which was taken for evidence.
The condition of the home was already not considered good enough for Tolmie to move back into - a leaky ceiling had caused mold to grow in the rafters B次元官网网址� but after each break-in the condition of the house got worse and worse.
It is now completely ransacked, with debris scattered across every bit of floor.
Nearby neighbour David Chambers, who works and lives at Madrona Farms was at TolmieB次元官网网址檚 on Monday and Tuesday to help sort through the mess and secure the house. Other neighbours are now helping keep watch.
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Chambers first went over to the house on Saturday after Tolmie approached him and explained she was a bit afraid to go up to the house alone.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檝e taken quite a bit of stuff,B次元官网网址� Chambers said. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檇 cut the pipes to her oil heat, taken the pipes off the hot water tank.B次元官网网址�
When he returned for the cleanup it appeared the thieves had returned yet again.
B次元官网网址淲e had a whole group of people going to meet at 11 a.m. I was the first one and I saw the doors are wide open,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪o, then we have to call the police back in again.B次元官网网址�
The neighbours are now getting more vigilant.
B次元官网网址淲e just got the lawns mowed, we got windows boarded up, we screwed windows shut that had been pried open, and started to clean up,B次元官网网址� Chambers said.
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