North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a suspect linked to a theft at a farm stand on Norcross Road.
According to a police report issued on Friday, surveillance cameras at the Farmstand Boutique captured a man prying the cashbox off the counter.
The incident occurred on Monday, September 21 and, resulted in the operators having to temporarily close the stand for a few days in order to repair the damage, in addition to the money lost from the theft, said police.
This has been a particularly difficult season for small and local businesses,
says Constable Brian Wreggitt. We appreciate any assistance that the community can provide in tracking down the person involved in this theft, and we encourage people to be good neighbours and report suspicious behaviour around farm stands to the owners or the police.
Police are advising that operators of farm stands and other small businesses conceal cash boxes in a space that isn’t noticeable from the road.
Police also are suggesting that operators don’t allow passersby to see at a glance how much money is in a cash box and that cash boxes should be emptied frequently.
“Trail cams or surveillance systems can also be a deterrent to thefts and help police identify suspects,” said RCMP in a statement.
For the recent theft at Farmstand Boutique, RCMP have sent along video and still photos of the suspect, which are below.
The man on the video is Caucasian with a brown beard and short brown hair. He was driving a green pickup truck believed to be from the 1990s and was wearing dark pants and a black shirt.
In the video, the suspect can be seen walking into a farm stand and pulling the cash box off of the counter, before leaving with it in hand.
A man steals a cashbox from a farm stand in Duncan.
Graham Cox
