Nanaimo RCMP arrested two men accused of stealing more than 70 items, including almost three dozen NHL hockey jerseys, from a sporting goods store early Friday.
Surveillance cameras in Kirby’s Source for Sports on Bowen Road caught a man entering the store twice around 2:30 a.m. and grabbing as many jerseys, then loading them into a waiting pickup.
The man left in the truck heading southbound on Bowen Road.
About an hour later, officers spotted the suspect vehicle heading northbound on Terminal Avenue and pulled it over. The suspect and stolen jerseys were inside.
Officers arrested a 48-year-old man of no fixed address, who faces one count of breaking and entering, and the 40-year-old driver, also of no fixed address, who is facing one count of possessing stolen property.
Both men were released from police custody with a court date on Feb. 22 in Nanaimo provincial court.
The store manager, Zack Gilbey, was “ecstatic” after hearing that the jerseys had been recovered, police said.
“We were looking at a huge financial loss to replace these items. We’re just so relieved and grateful for getting them all back and for the quick and efficient response by the officers involved,” Gilbey said.
regan-elliott@timescolonist.com
