Nanaimo RCMP is investigating a break-in and theft from the Vancouver Island Raiders football team’s field house, only a few months after the team had experienced a similar theft.
Team officials tell police they were in the building at 110 Wall St. in the early evening on May 21, and returned around 5 p.m. on May 22, which is when the break-in was discovered. The incident is believed to have occurred between those times.
Stolen items include 20 Nike Vapor footballs, five travel bags, two Riddell helmets, two pairs of football cleats, team jerseys, girdles, game pants, and assorted tools and equipment.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Nanaimo RCMP at 250-754-2345.
This is the second similar theft for the club recently.
In August, the team had $50,000 in equipment stolen.
The previous theft happened overnight Wednesday, Aug. 31. According to RCMP, thieves pried open the storage building door at Nanaimo’s Caledonia Park, then cleared out the volunteer-run non-profit football team of nearly all of its equipment.
R/Const. Gary O’Brien, media relations officer with Nanaimo RCMP, says in this incident there have been no arrests and “little if none” of the equipment was recovered.
Additionally, there was a previous theft in 2021 that robbed the team of $15,000 in equipment, and in early August someone set fire to their storage facility causing significant smoke damage.
O’Brien says there is nothing at this time to suggest the break-ins are related, but they are looking closely for similarities.
READ PREVIOUS: ‘It’s just gone’: Nanaimo Raiders push on despite devastating $50K equipment theft
Laura Brougham
