Photo: Isabey Homes
A Kelowna construction company has lost over $200,000 worth of work equipment within the last six months, and a break-in earlier this week has them looking at another $100,000 loss in stolen equipment.
Isabey Home project manager Michelle Watson couldn’t believe how much stuff was stolen from a $2 million renovation property on Lakeshore Road this past Monday, but she says it’s nothing new for the industry.
“It’s atrocious. I know somebody who gets hit nearly every night of the week. Even if you hire security, the good thieves follow security around and as soon as they check in on the place they go in right after them, it’s non-stop,” said Watson.
With a vacant city lot next to the renovation site, the thieves were able to cut the fence and back their vehicle up through the gap, where they could load up with stolen goods from the site.
“It’s frustrating for all of us. We have a lot of friends in the construction industry and everyone is losing things. Our exterior company had all their saws stolen,” said Watson. “Our flooring guy, they took his trailer with all of his tools.”
Watson believes the thefts are organized crime being committed by people who know what they’re doing. Not only did the thieves steal everything they could manage to get their hands on, but they made themselves right at home at the site, cooking food, taking showers, and even doing some manscaping.
“They cleared out everything. We lost light fixtures, plumbing fixtures, they took furniture, all the bedding, sheets, towels, tooth brushes, pool balls, pool cues, they made sandwiches, took golf clubs, barbecues, you name it.”
The RCMP brought in a forensic unit to study the crime scene, collect fingerprints, and package up anything that might help lead them to an arrest. But Watson says the police are just as frustrated with the rise in construction crime as they are.
“They catch them, but then they go through the justice system and they just get a slap on the wrist. There is no penalty for what they’re doing, really,” she said. “So these people end up back out doing the same thing over and over again, not learning any lessons. It’s going to end up with someone getting hurt. Someone is going to catch them and lose their temper.”
Isabey Homes has experienced five break-ins and robberies in the past six months.
Photo: Isabey Homes
