Aluminum Bleacher Thief Foiled

A 34 year old Saanich man recently pleaded guilty in Victoria Provincial Court to stealing a large number of unassembled aluminum bleachers belonging to the Lakehill Little League.

In late November of 2013, Royal Athletic Park donated the two sections of surplus bleachers to Lakehill Little League – for future installation at Ambassador Park.

Sometime during the next two weeks, a large number of the aluminum benches were stolen from a dugout storage area at nearby Lakehill Elementary School. These benches measured approximately 15 feet long by one foot wide.

In mid-December, police learned that several similar loads of aluminum benches had been sold to a local metal recycling firm. The suspect had provided an explanation regarding the origin of the aluminum, along with his identification.

The police investigator was aware that there were additional aluminum benches in the dugout and speculated that the suspect was likely to return again. Small, distinctive Block Watch decals were covertly placed on hidden areas of the benches where they would not be easily viewable to the suspect.

Two days later, the same man showed up at the business with another load of aluminum benches. The identifiable Block Watch decals were still in place. The man was arrested by Victoria Police and then turned over to Saanich Police. He confessed to having stolen the property over the course of several nights, and he voluntarily turned over a large box of bleacher assembly hardware to police.

The 34 year old man was sentenced in late January to one count of Theft Over $5000. He received a Suspended Sentence of two years Probation, with a number of conditions including the completion of 100 hours of community work and paying restitution of $1540.00 to Lakehill Little League.

S/Sgt. Scott Treble – Community Engagement Division

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