Mounties in Parksville used video surveillance footage from an area business to make a quick arrest following an early morning break in. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

repeat offender

Video surveillance key in quick arrest of safe thief from Parksville business

Nov 13, 2025 | 9:27 AM

PARKSVILLE — A Nanaimo man, with a history of past break and enters, is facing new charges following an alleged theft.

Oceanside RCMP officers responded to alarms at an automotive business in the 400 block of the Island Hwy. E near Mills St. on Monday, Nov. 10 at around 1 a.m.

Sgt. Shane Worth told NanaimoNewsNOW a patrol officer was, coincidentally, very close by to the business and responded immediately, confirmed the break-in and reviewed high quality surveillance video footage which showed the suspect stealing a safe.

“The video surveillance did offer a very good clothing description of the person, very distinct clothing, and so when officers were patrolling looking for the suspect, their heads were on a swivel, they were looking around and they they noticed a suspicious vehicle in the area and the person inside.”

The vehicle was pulled over and 40-year-old Mitchell John Andonov was found inside, wearing clothing Worth said matched “to a T” the description generated from the video footage.

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Officers found the discarded safe a short time later, unopened.

It was returned to the business.

Worth credited the video security system installed by the business for the quick investigation and arrest.

“Functioning and immediately available video surveillance for officers attending is critical to making quick arrests, especially in the middle of the night where time is of the essence. Bad guys are trying to get away fast, and if we can get a suspect description right away and out to the officers, we have a much better chance of making arrest.”

Andonov remained in police custody until a court appearance later the same day, after which he was released on a promise to appear.

He has another court date on Nov. 18 to answer to charges of break and enter and breach of a release order.

Court records show Andonov is on 18 months probation for uttering threats from a March 2025 incident in Nanaimo.

He was jailed for 18 months in April 2013 on four counts of break and enter, stemming from incidents between mid-December 2011 and mid-January 2012 in Nanaimo.

Andonov also faced charges on four additional break-and-enters in the Courtenay and Cumberland areas over an eight day period in early 2024, in addition to two counts of possession of stolen property.

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