A downtown Nanaimo merchant has posted a 'missing person' notice of a different sort after a mannequin named Guava Girl was stolen in a smash-and-grab this week.

Ashley Jeans, who owns Guava Apparel on the corner of Commercial Street and Terminal Avenue, said Nanaimo RCMP called her at about 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 26, after receiving multiple calls from passersby and neighbouring businesses reporting the crime.

It was the second smashed window at the store in a month and a half, and the ninth since the store opened in that location in 2019. The loss to the store from WednesdayB次元官网网址檚 incident was $1,800 for the window, $400 for the mannequin and $265 for the dress Guava Girl was wearing.

Jeans said this time the store is out the full amount because it has used up its annual allotment from a relief fund managed through the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce that helps vandalized businesses cover repair costs.

B次元官网网址淭hey helped us with our first [broken window of the year], but thereB次元官网网址檚 only so much allowed per store. We exhausted it on our first break, so the second breakage is on us."

Despite the financial setback, Jeans decided to apply a little humour to the situation by putting up a 'missing person' poster on social media featuring images of the mannequin with and without the dress.

B次元官网网址淚 thought it was cute and weB次元官网网址檙e just trying to make light of it,B次元官网网址� Jeans said.

She said broken windows are a regular occurrence downtown, but hers are often more visible because of the store's high-traffic location.

B次元官网网址淸The police] are great. Their hands are tied, always. ThereB次元官网网址檚 not much they can do, but they came and they waited until I arrived on the scene to give me my file case number, and move on their way to the next thing,B次元官网网址� she said.

The smash-and-grabs usually happen early in the morning, but Jeans said she often gets notified about them through direct messages on social media from people passing by.

B次元官网网址淥r even our neighbours will try to reach out to us beforehand,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淓ven the police officers commented [that] 'you have a lot of people looking out for you,' because I guess they got a lot of phone calls that our front window was smashed.B次元官网网址�

So far the mannequin hasnB次元官网网址檛 turned up. The dress was recovered and returned Friday, Feb. 28, but was unfortunately torn and is not in saleable condition. The mannequin, she said, is unique and she hopes to get it back or at least find out its whereabouts.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a pretty unique mannequin and if somebody took a photo of it and tagged us in it for us to see, it could be comical B次元官网网址� the mannequin from Guava floating around NanaimoB次元官网网址�" Jeans said. "Honestly, through all the heartache of it all, this is upsetting, but this could turn out to be a little bit funny.B次元官网网址�