A Chemainus business owner is sounding the alarm about crime in the region after $100,000 worth of gold and silver jewelry was stolen from the Highway Antique Barn on the Trans-Canada Highway at Henry Road.

Kevin Smith said his business was broken into during the early-morning hours of Feb. 17 and three glass cabinets were smashed. Thieves were in and out within a matter of minutes.

乌鸦传媒淭hey knew exactly what they wanted,乌鸦传媒� Smith said. 乌鸦传媒淭hey took all of our gold and silver. All has now been removed from the premises.乌鸦传媒�

The doors at the front of the building were ripped out to gain access. The doors were both bolted in at the top, but that didn乌鸦传媒檛 stop the thieves.

乌鸦传媒淭hey boldly do what they want,乌鸦传媒� said Smith. They just plowed them, ripped them right out.乌鸦传媒�

He called police and an investigator examined the scene, but he hasn乌鸦传媒檛 heard anything since. Police also did not reveal any information to the public of the incident through the media.

乌鸦传媒淚 think it乌鸦传媒檚 time we let people know,乌鸦传媒� Smith confided. 乌鸦传媒淚f anyone else in this area has experienced anything, let乌鸦传媒檚 get together and have an action plan.

乌鸦传媒淲e have to take things into our own hands. We乌鸦传媒檙e sitting ducks, especially on the highway. It乌鸦传媒檚 a fast getaway.乌鸦传媒�

Smith proposed security measures need to be intensified.

乌鸦传媒淭he more cameras you put out, the smarter they get,乌鸦传媒� he said.

Most of the thieves, he added, are aware of the presence of security cameras and can easily avoid them or wear balaclavas and dark clothing to conceal their identities. A better solution, Smith indicated, might be for businesses to chip in for a full-time security guard to monitor several neighbouring businesses.

There was also a car-jacking at knife point the previous weekend at the Haida-Way Restaurant directly beside the Antique Barn to the south. Police did not issue any information or alert to the public about that incident because the General Investigation Section working on the case thought its ongoing efforts might be compromised.

Information on two other serious crimes in the vicinity late last year and earlier this year was released, including the theft of an ATM machine at the Co-op gas station, again right next to the Antique Barn on the north side.

Smith said he乌鸦传媒檚 乌鸦传媒渉eard nothing, no single follow-up at all,乌鸦传媒� since the Antique Barn theft, but didn乌鸦传媒檛 expect it.

乌鸦传媒淭hey乌鸦传媒檝e overwhelmed,乌鸦传媒� he said of the police.

And often when police do identify and arrest criminals, they乌鸦传媒檙e right back on the street with no consequences from the justice system.

It乌鸦传媒檚 another big hit in the post-COVID restriction time for Smith and other small businesses trying to recover.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 heartbreaking,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淎nd the B.C. government has obviously nothing in the budget for small business owners. Everyone gets money but us. We are the ones that are probably suffering the most.乌鸦传媒�

Smith plans to soldier on and hopes everyone in business and the community will be on guard to combat theft all the more after knowing about this incident.

乌鸦传媒淲e love what we are, where we are and what we do,乌鸦传媒� he said.

As a precaution now, 乌鸦传媒渁bsolutely no gold or silver is left in the building,乌鸦传媒� Smith added. 乌鸦传媒淲e take it all out.乌鸦传媒�

don.bodger@chemainusvalleycourier.ca
Like us on and follow us on .