A Kelowna business owner is frustrated with RCMP’s response after his restaurant was broken into twice in four days.
According to Bryce Battye owner of FSH on St. Paul Street, the first break-in occurred on March 4, after a suspect picked the lock on his front door and allegedly stole two boxes worth of food.
“The alarm did go off and scared him, we have it all on video,” said “I called RCMP right away and told them there was an active break-in in progress. They did arrive on scene but the guy was gone.”
RCMP responded to Battye’s call about 15 minutes after he made it.
“They told me there was no trace of the guy being there and left. That was the extent of that interaction, there was no follow-up, they didn’t do anything,” he said.
Battye was left feeling confused and wondered what to do after he witnessed the break and enter on his security camera. He was at a loss as to why police would say there was no trace of a suspect.
Then on March 6, what appeared to be the same suspect returned to FSH and attempted to break in yet again.
“He broke in through my sliding glass door and stole approximately $250 worth of alcohol and left his screwdriver in my bar,” said an exasperated Battye.
He called the police again and an officer arrived who said he would be taking the screwdriver as evidence, but according to the Kelowna business owner, a second officer didn’t think the screwdriver was important and began to play with it.
“I told the police that this was the same suspect as last Friday and that this guy has been trying to break into my business every night since,” he said.
Battye said he knows of a second business on Lawrence Street that was also broken into on Sunday night and it’s believed that the same suspect who broke into FSH is responsible.
“I would love this guy to get caught. I want police to pick up patrols and investigate these break-ins. This guy is clearly around and the police don’t care. I want something to be done so other business owners don’t have to go through the same thing that I did,” he said.
Battye said he felt he needed to speak out because he feels he is not being taken seriously by RCMP and that other businesses in the downtown core are at risk.
RCMP has been reached for comment.
Alleged break-in suspect at FSH. (Bryce Battye)
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jen.zielinski@bpdigital.ca
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