While reported property crimes in Nanaimo have decreased between 2024 and 2025, thefts from vehicles and outdoor buildings like sheds have increased. (file photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Jordan Davidson

lock it up

Property crime dips overall in Nanaimo area, but theft from vehicles increases: RCMP

Jan 8, 2026 | 1:18 PM

NANAIMO — Property crimes reported to Nanaimo RCMP was down year-over-year in the Harbour City, barring a few exceptions.

Nanaimo RCMP reported only two categories of property offences increased from 2024 to 2025: theft from vehicles and “other thefts”, such as from garages, sheds or other outdoor storage areas.

Reserve Cst. Gary O’Brien says vehicle thefts rose 15 per cent, while other thefts went up six per cent, with their bike patrol actively patrolling the downtown core and other areas for well-known repeat offenders.

“Our SITE (Special Investigations and Targeted Enforcement) team is very key. They work hard on people who are repeat offenders. They know who these people are, and once they commit a crime, they are on them, and often they are getting longer jail sentences. That really helps as far as reducing crime,” O’Brien told NanaimoNewsNOW.

Overall, the Nanaimo RCMP data showed property related offences dipped 6 per cent from 2025 (5305) to 2024 (5632).

Best in Sport

Nanaimo celebrates Sport Achievement Awards and Hall of Fame inductions

1h ago

ROAD WORKS

Another multi-hour closure planned for Hwy. 4 at Cameron Lake

6h ago

Bruender Magic

Clippers top Chiefs in overtime thriller

8h ago

Detailed reported property crime data compiled by Nanaimo RCMP for 2024 and 2025 (Nanaimo RCMP)

O’Brien said patrols done by community policing volunteers who report suspicious incidents contributed to the decrease.

In 2024, there were 578 reported theft from vehicle complaints made to Nanaimo RCMP, compared to 667 in all of 2025, but O’Brien said these numbers are likely underreported.

He said making sure your vehicle is locked and removing all visible valuables would go a long way in reducing those numbers.

“We know that 40 per cent of all vehicle break-ins, and we call it a break-in because you’re not allowed to be in that vehicle, 40 per cent are from unlocked vehicles. If you leave an umbrella, hard hat, runners, or cell phones, or anything else, they’ll often will go in there…but if there’s nothing in there that’s enticing them, they’ll often move on to another car.”

Aside from unlocked vehicles, smashing vehicle windows to gain access is a common tactic by thieves, O’Brien noted.

For thefts from outdoor storage areas, Cst. O’Brien recommended having items labelled, and secured with sturdy locks.

He said it doesn’t make sense to protect potentially thousands of dollars’ worth of outdoor equipment with a cheap lock.

The Nanaimo SITE team was formed through a 2023 initiative from the province to identify repeat violent offenders and hold them in custody longer.

O’Brien said the drop in commercial break-ins can be directly tied to several people who were responsible for the majority of those types of crimes, who are currently in jail.

“We have experienced police officers who know the crime stats, they know who’s committing crime, and they are targeting those individuals. These are the ones who are not only repeat offenders, but they’re violent individuals who cause havoc in our community, and the perception of fear is one that once it’s created, it’s hard to stop.”

– with files from Ian Holmes

Local news. Delivered. Free. Subscribe to our daily news wrap and get our top local stories delivered to your email inbox every evening.

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

Follow us on: Twitter (X) | Bluesky | Facebook