A “shopping list” of items requested to be stolen from vehicles. (Nanaimo RCMP).
A 33-year-old Nanaimo woman was arrested on Wednesday after breaking into two bait cars within 16 minutes, police said.
At around 5:40 a.m., Nanaimo RCMP were alerted to a theft at a bait car parked in central Nanaimo. Since the bait cars have a video recording system, officers were able to review the video and get a description of the female suspect and an item that was taken from the vehicle.
Sixteen minutes later, police were advised of another theft at a second bait car. When officers reviewed that video, they determined the suspect was the same one from the first vehicle break-in.
Police arrested the suspect three minutes later. When they searched the items in the suspect’s possession, they found an item taken from the first bait car. They also found several pieces of government identification, mail from nearby residences and a “shopping list,” which is what investigators call a wish list of items that the woman’s friends want to be stolen from vehicles.
According to police, investigators often find similar lists when car thieves are arrested. Some of the items on the suspect’s list were underwear, makeup, speakers, compression socks and size 10 Nike hightops.
Kimberly Taylor, 33, was arrested for possession of stolen property. She was released that same day on recognizance of bail. She has been charged with one count of possession of stolen property and will appear in court on Dec. 5.
Inspt. Brian MacDonald, who in charge of the Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team (IMPACT), said the bait car program is effective in reducing theft of vehicles and theft from vehicles.
“This arrest points to the strong commitment to the bait car program by Nanaimo detachment and other Vancouver Island police agencies. Would be thieves are warned – bait cars are everywhere,” MacDonald said in a statement.
Alexa Huffman
