Adult thief robs Nanaimo boy of his prized bike

CHEK

  A heartbroken 9-year-old Nanaimo boy is without the bike he worked hard to save up for, after a bizarre and threatening theft. 
 RCMP have an image of the adult man who stole it and threatened to hurt the boy’s older brother if he tried to stop him.

Wyatt Snikkers tries to look out for his 9 year old brother Ewan. 

“Because he’s my little brother and I want to protect him,” says 12-year-old Wyatt.

He says he was stunned though in the face of a threatening incident that targeted the two Nanaimo boys and Ewan’s bike outside the Nanaimo Aquatic Centre

“I was sobbing so hard because I felt so bad,” says Wyatt Snikkers.

 “I was really scared and I didn’t know what to do and stuff,” says Ewan Snikkers.

They were on a candy run, Saturday March 25th at about 5 pm. 

“They’re just really, really helpful, kind sweet little kids,” says their mother Quinn Ver Brugge. 

12-year-old Wyatt was watching their bikes including Ewan’s new prized mountain bike that he’d saved up two years to buy.

“What did this bike mean,” we ask him. “Um a lot to me,” answers Ewan. 

When as 9 year old Evan ran in to the use the Aquatic Centre’s vending machine a stranger asked Wyatt what time it was .and then answered his own question saying:

“He says well it’s time to steal your bike and the kid got very upset and actually started crying,” says Const. Gary O’Brien of Nanaimo RCMP.

 “I said no, no, no don’t do that and he swore at me and threatened to punch me in the face looked right at me raised his fist like this told me you want me to punch you in the face?” says Wyatt Snikkers. “Called me some more swear words and then just rode off.”

A surveillance camera captured the suspect before he fled on Ewan’s prized $600 bike.

“He will pull weeds, he will wash the car, he will work at my brother’s Christmas tree farm,” says Quinn Ver Brugge. 

All taken from him in a matter of seconds. So RCMP are appealing for anyone who recognizes the suspect, a white man, about 5 foot 6 inches tall and believed to be between the ages of 25 and 35, to come forward.

“And we’re hoping the public will assist us on this and find out who this joker is, hold him responsible and maybe get the bike back,” says Const. O’Brien.

Though Ewan fears his Devinci Jackson bike may be gone, it’s clear the thief didn’t touch the brotherly bond between these boys.

“He said I’d rather my bike be stolen than have you punched in the face which is nice,” says Wyatt smiling.

Skye RyanSkye Ryan

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