Nanaimo RCMP is looking for the culprits while Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue Station 27 hopes that boating safety and education equipment stolen from a storage trailer can be recovered.
The equipment was taken from RCM-SARB次元官网网址檚 boating safety trailer stored on the grounds of Nanaimo Fire RescueB次元官网网址檚 Vancouver Island Emergency Response Academy on Labieux Road.
Debby Thomson, RCM-SAR 27 search and rescue prevention and boating safety manager, said the theft was discovered Wednesday, Oct. 20, and likely occurred this week.
All the equipment taken is used for boating safety education in the community and at schools and included about 80 life jackets for children, a 55-inch LG TV, electronics for the unitB次元官网网址檚 Bobbie the Safety Boat remote-control vessel, part of the Rescue Bear mascot costume, tubs of colouring books, brochures, a public address system and other items, most of which were contained in large, high-quality duffel bags bearing RCM-SAR 27B次元官网网址檚 logo.
The rough estimate of the value of the items stolen is $20,000.
B次元官网网址淲hen I originally started looking at it I was thinking, oh, well, itB次元官网网址檚 not too bad, and then I started pricing B次元官网网址� if you count, say, 80 life jackets at $50 each B次元官网网址� theyB次元官网网址檙e the cheap ones B次元官网网址� thereB次元官网网址檚 $4,000 right there,B次元官网网址� Thomson said.
The remote control and audio electronics for Bobbie the Safety Boat are dated and will be expensive if those have to be replaced.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 going to have to do some improvising to get it replaced or go out and buy new. Well, buying a whole Bobbie new right now is $13,000-$14,000 U.S.,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be doing that.B次元官网网址�
The thieves took the body of the polar bear mascot, but left behind his feet and head.
B次元官网网址淪o, somebody has a polar bear suit that I think might appear somewhere at Halloween,B次元官网网址� Thomson said.
Thomson said firefighters found some of the stolen items scattered nearby around Labieux Road and the Kinsmen ParticiPark.
Thomson speculated a number of people would likely have been involved over an extended period of time or would have needed a vehicle to be able to move the amount of equipment taken.
B次元官网网址淭he five duffel bags that we lost, theyB次元官网网址檙e great big hockey-bag size and when theyB次元官网网址檙e stuffed with things theyB次元官网网址檙e very cumbersome, so youB次元官网网址檙e not carrying tons of those at one time,B次元官网网址� she said.
Const. Gary OB次元官网网址橞rien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman, said access was gained to the trailer through a chain link fence that had been cut and the lock on the trailer had been broken.
OB次元官网网址橞rien said some batteries were also taken from a decommissioned vehicle belonging to Nanaimo Fire Rescue which was also stored nearby.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a pretty sad state of affairs when people target materials that are meant for our safety and our education,B次元官网网址� OB次元官网网址橞rien said.
Thomson said the equipment is insured, but she doesnB次元官网网址檛 want to file a claim for fear of driving up RCM-SAR 27B次元官网网址檚 insurance costs. Any donations to the non-profit organization from the public to help replace the stolen items would be welcomed, she said. Donations can be made by visiting the marine search and rescue unitB次元官网网址檚 website at .
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