Two boys in Langford set the wheels of justice in motion after quick decision making led investigators to find their stolen bicycles and arrest the alleged thieves, RCMP say.
When 12-year-old Jackson Neuhaus and 13-year-old Josiah Quatell noticed their bikes were missing from Westshore Town Centre on Jan. 7, they knew who to call.
With no time to waste, the pair flagged down a mall security guard and phoned police.
“I’m just so proud of them for going straight to mall security to report their bikes stolen, then calling the police and making the report on their own,” wrote Candace Neuhaus, Jackson’s mother, in a statement released by West Shore RCMP.
“It was a very upsetting situation for them both and they handled it very maturely,” she added.
RCMP worked with mall security to pull the surveillance footage and identify the alleged suspects, a 29-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman, both residents of East Sooke, reads the statement.
Officers then went to the man’s home, where they arrested both the man and woman for theft under $5,000 after discovering the stolen bikes.
“We are happy to report that both bikes were recovered by police and returned to their rightful owners,” said Cpl. Nancy Saggar, media relations officer for West Shore RCMP.
The suspects have since been released from custody on undertakings with conditions not to attend the Westshore Town Centre. They also have a date in court this March.
“I’m so grateful to the Westshore mall security for working hard to get the footage in line for [police to] review. I couldn’t be prouder of our boys for acting right away and seeking out help from security as well as making the phone call to the RCMP,” wrote Lynai Quatell, Josiah’s mother.
“The outcome couldn’t have been any better.”
Roger Collins
