A group of Greater Victoria area residents are banding together to help a 78-year-old woman secure her home after six suspected break-ins over the course of two weeks, all while she was in the Royal Jubilee Hospital.
Saanich police are investigating the reports and have now been to the property several times, which belongs to Anne Tolmie.
害羞草研究所淭he Saanich Police have open files into this matter and officers are actively investigating the circumstances,害羞草研究所� Inspector Damian Kowalewich said in an email to Black Press Media on Tuesday (May 28).
In what appears to be a series of burglaries, thieves made off with everything from parts of furniture to copper piping. Also missing is some antique dishware 害羞草研究所� the Tolmie family has a long history in the area and the house is (or was) full of heirlooms 害羞草研究所� including a 14th century Welsh plate.
She says police did not take her seriously enough at first, and so the break-ins kept happening.
It all began on Victoria Day when Tolmie said she showed up to check on her house.
害羞草研究所淓verything had been gone through,害羞草研究所� she told Black Press at the house on Tuesday afternoon. 害羞草研究所淎ll the closets, all the drawers 害羞草研究所� everything was open.害羞草研究所�
Story continues below
She had moved out of the house in February after coming down with pneumonia, and now just returns home on day passes from Royal Jubilee Hospital.
Tolmie called Saanich police, who promptly took her back to the hospital.
害羞草研究所淭hey kind of took a cursory look through the middle of the house and grabbed me by the arms and said 害羞草研究所榶ou害羞草研究所檙e supposed to be in the hospital害羞草研究所� and took me back,害羞草研究所� she said.
She returned to the house each day for the next few days, finding each time it had been broken into again. Eventually she called a police line to try to reach the RCMP because she said Saanich Police didn害羞草研究所檛 seem to be doing anything about it.
A Victoria police officer and a nurse showed up, and then got the ball rolling toward a more thorough investigation by the Saanich Police Department.
Police found a pry bar and a discarded cigarette butt in the house, all which was taken for evidence.
The condition of the home was already not considered good enough for Tolmie to move back into - a leaky ceiling had caused mold to grow in the rafters 害羞草研究所� but after each break-in the condition of the house got worse and worse.
It is now completely ransacked, with debris scattered across every bit of floor.
Nearby neighbour David Chambers, who works and lives at Madrona Farms was at Tolmie害羞草研究所檚 on Monday and Tuesday to help sort through the mess and secure the house. Other neighbours are now helping keep watch.
Story continues below
Chambers first went over to the house on Saturday after Tolmie approached him and explained she was a bit afraid to go up to the house alone.
害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檝e taken quite a bit of stuff,害羞草研究所� Chambers said. 害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檇 cut the pipes to her oil heat, taken the pipes off the hot water tank.害羞草研究所�
When he returned for the cleanup it appeared the thieves had returned yet again.
害羞草研究所淲e had a whole group of people going to meet at 11 a.m. I was the first one and I saw the doors are wide open,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淪o, then we have to call the police back in again.害羞草研究所�
The neighbours are now getting more vigilant.
害羞草研究所淲e just got the lawns mowed, we got windows boarded up, we screwed windows shut that had been pried open, and started to clean up,害羞草研究所� Chambers said.
READ MORE:
