A cabin in Silva Bay, on Gabriola Island, was where Mounties found a man with a host of stolen goods including boats and tools. (David Stanley/Flickr)

By Alex Rawnsley

stolen goods

Arrest made on Gabriola after rash of stolen tools & boats across central Island

Nov 14, 2023 | 1:57 PM

NANAIMO — Police believe they’ve identified and arrested the man responsible for a series of marine based thefts across the region.

Officers with the Gabriola Island detachment, in partnership with the RCMP’s West Coast Marine unit, made an arrest of a man at a Silva Bay cabin on the eastern side of the Island on Nov. 2.

It comes after a series of thefts of inflatable Zodiac boats, Sea-Doos, tools and other valuables up and down Vancouver Island with incidents reported in Cowichan Bay, Maple Bay, Thetis Island and Qualicum Beach.

“He was in a seasonal cabin unlawfully,” Cst. Dave Kokesh, RCMP West Coast Marine Unit, said. “There was alcohol that was seized, a number of tools, one of the skiffs was also seized and there were three other skiffs on the Island that are still under investigation but believed to have been possibly taken by him.

The man is facing charges of being unlawfully in a dwelling and in possession of stolen property.

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Kokesh noted police are continuing their investigation before formally forwarding charges to Crown counsel for consideration.

He cannot be identified until charges are sworn in.

Kokesh told NanaimoNewsNOW these thefts occur year-round but are particularly prevalent this time of year as owners of boats aren’t visiting the marina quite as often.

He said people need to take note of serial numbers or inscribe something unique such as a phone number or initials into their items so police can more easily return stolen valuables.

“The importance of people marking their stuff, keeping serial numbers, if that’s the case this stuff would have been on police C-PIC and it would have been able to be returned to the owners.”

Kokesh wasn’t sure what, if any, of the items seized at the Silva Bay property were able to be returned to their owners.

RCMP arrested a man at Silva Bay, who they believe responsible for a series of thefts across the Island. (Google Maps)

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