Kelz Bakery owner Kelly Busse is recalling a dramatic robbery he witnessed in Sooke Friday morning.
“I was in my vehicle here. Driver’s mirror on that side. I could look over and see the door that is missing now,” Busse said in an interview with CHEK News.
The target is Sooke Power Supply, a power equipment store across the street from his bakery.
The thieves drove a pickup truck into the store — and it was all caught on video surveillance cameras and watched by Busse.
“Called 911 and went out and kind of hid a little bit behind my van. And talked to dispatch through the entire three-minute process until they pulled away,” he said.
“There was a zero-trim mower here. And then there was a lawn tractor on the other side. Both of those were damaged.”
Once inside, the crew of three methodically went about stealing tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment. One suspect is seen returning at least three times to grab generators from the shelves, each valued at more than $1,800.
Store owner Wayne Smith watched the video as the thieves broke in.
“I think they were pretty brave,” he said.
“Like, brazen or however you want to call it. They have done that before. They just drove right through the door.”
The cameras inside and outside the store show exactly what the thieves did for the three minutes inside.
One suspect was tasked with loading the stolen goods into the back, while the other two targeted valuable portable chainsaws, generators, and axes.
“We were just trying to figure out if we could see who it is or get a face. Then once we found out the truck is stolen, then, of course, that all goes out the window,” Smith said.
In November, thieves also used a pickup to smash and grab at this Nanaimo liquor store to steal its ATM. Video surveillance showed the pickup truck backing into the store three times before the door gave way.
Busse says he’s still shaken by the ordeal.
“Oh, sheer terror,” he added. “Because I didn’t know if someone was still in the truck looking in my direction, or if they had seen me, or if they cared.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sooke RCMP.
Mary Griffin
