Nanaimo Search and Rescue says it will have to “shuffle some equipment around” until it can replace thousands of dollars worth of equipment stolen in a break-and-enter early Tuesday.
Spokesman Grant Williamson said surveillance footage from the group’s compound at Fourth Street and Chesterlea Avenue shows someone entering the area, likely after scaling the fence.
Two cargo trailers with an array of equipment were broken into by prying the latches of the access doors, he said, and items were strewn around as the intruder decided what to take.
Two cases full of equipment with an estimated value of about $5,000 were stolen.
“It’s very disappointing,” said Williamson. “It’s frustrating.”
He said the group has insurance but needs to pinpoint the dollar value of the loss to determine whether it’s worth filing a claim.
“Regardless, it’s going to have somewhat of an impact on our budget for sure.”
An automatic-external defibrillator that was among the stolen items has been recovered by Nanaimo RCMP.
“That’s a very critical piece of equipment in the bush,” Williamson said.
Also stolen were several Milwaukee brand tools, a Husqvarna chainsaw and a Spotx satellite-communications unit — “basically it looks like an old-school Blackberry,” Williamson said of the unit.
Since it can be used for tracking, the hope is that the thief turns it on at some point so it can be located, he said.
Williamson said the chainsaw is often needed in wooded terrain. “Sometimes we’ve got to clear a path or give ourselves a safe area to work.”
A data-enabled iPad used for mapping and communication was stolen, as well.
While it was the first break-in experienced by the group, a light bar was stolen from one of its trucks a few years ago when it had to be parked outside the compound during renovations.
A replacement was donated by Surrey-based BrightSource, Williamson said.
Contact Nanaimo RCMP at 250-754-2345 with any information about Tuesday’s break-in.
