A SurreyIn British Columbia, the family is still in shock after someone gained access to their garage and looted thousands of dollars of belongings.
Security cameras were rolling as the looting spree unfolded for several hours on the night of November 29-30.
The video shows a man wearing a black hoodie and mask entering the garage and stealing various items. We see him leaving on a motorbike, before returning with two other people.
“It was just horrible to see people come and take our stuff multiple times throughout the night,” owner Zorion Terrell told Global News.
Terrell and his family were out of town at the time and still don’t know how the garage door was opened.
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“It’s clearly the people who live in our community who have been able to walk to carry their belongings, which means they can live anywhere within walking distance,” he said.
“And then when a whole other group, it looked like three other people showed up, they were prepared. They had bolt cutters on hand, they knew exactly where the bike they wanted was and they went straight for it. »
Terrell said the thieves took all of his bikes, including his most prized possession, a $14,000 Yeti mountain bike that he had saved to buy in April and which was locked to the wall.
They took a variety of other items, including tools and equipment for his wife Bobbi Terrell’s fastpitch team.
“We’re a fun league, so having to replace this equipment depends on our team fees and being able to use it next season,” she said.
The Surrey Police Service (SPS) is warning the public that the festive period is a prime time for thieves looking to profit from crimes of opportunity.
“This is the time when people buy electronic devices, they buy expensive gifts for their loved ones, they sometimes put gifts under their Christmas tree, carrying them from the mall to their homes,” said the spokesperson for the SPS, Ian MacDonald.
“Minimizing opportunities for bad guys to come in and try to steal from you is obviously a good deterrent.”
MacDonald encouraged Surrey residents to “harden” their homes, including ensuring their properties and garages are secure and installing security cameras.
He said package thieves are also on the prowl this time of year and encouraged people to use in-store pickup or secure drop-off locations or ask their neighbors to pick up deliveries at their arrival.
“There’s something to be said for the old-fashioned way of getting to know your neighbors,” he added.
Terrell said the incident left her family feeling violated and unsure of what to do to make their home feel safe.
“It’s destabilizing and you don’t feel safe in your own community,” he said.
“This now makes me wonder how I should secure my home. We have a young daughter.
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