A man who allegedly squatted in a Nanaimo home while residents were away on holiday was arrested earlier this week after he refused to leave, say police.
The arrest was made Monday (Sept. 7).
The 40-year-old, who was known to police, did not come out of the house when asked and so a police dog was sent in, said Const. Gary O乌鸦传媒橞rien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman.
O乌鸦传媒橞rien said a family that lives in the 300 block of Nicol Street went to the Yukon for three weeks and 乌鸦传媒渋t appears that either a squatter or squatters basically took over their house and did a lot of damage 乌鸦传媒� We were advised the house was empty at the time and nobody should be in the house.乌鸦传媒�
The family returned from holiday on Sunday, the day before the arrest, to find that their house had been broken into and that property had been damaged and allegedly stolen.
乌鸦传媒淭he beds had been broken and stained, the kids乌鸦传媒� clothes and toys had been strewn all over, and there was drug paraphernalia everywhere, including in the kids乌鸦传媒� new back-to-school backpacks. Almost all of their things have been stained, broken, or stolen,乌鸦传媒� noted a press release from GoFundMe.
The next night at about 8 p.m., Nanaimo RCMP were called to a report of a break-and-enter in progress and found a suspect back inside the home.
乌鸦传媒淚t was known [the suspect] has a propensity for violence and is sometimes carrying weapons乌鸦传媒ξ谘淮綕 O乌鸦传媒橞rien said. 乌鸦传媒淭he male was taken out [of the home], taken to hospital for a few stitches and he乌鸦传媒檚 in cells as we speak.乌鸦传媒�
The suspect appeared in provincial court in Nanaimo this week to face a charge of break-and-enter.
O乌鸦传媒橞rien said these sort of incidents aren乌鸦传媒檛 common because he said a lot of citizens in Nanaimo are 乌鸦传媒渟witched on乌鸦传媒� to crime prevention.
乌鸦传媒淜ey is communication between neighbours to say, 乌鸦传媒榟ey, I乌鸦传媒檓 going to be out of town for a while, can you keep an eye on things?乌鸦传媒� Not saying this did not happen, but obviously there was a breakdown somewhere,乌鸦传媒� O乌鸦传媒橞rien said.
A GoFundMe has raised $8,700 for the family, which didn乌鸦传媒檛 have tenants乌鸦传媒� insurance. To view or donate to the GoFundMe, .
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