Police hope a man who broke into Ucluelet’s Blue Room restaurant last month and stole only alcohol comes clean before they have to arrest him.
Detachment commander Sgt. George Jenkins told the Westerly there is surveillance video of the man smashing into the restaurant on Feb. 11.
“A culprit that we have on video broke the side window with a rock, entered through the window, went straight for the cooler and stole a number of liquor containers,” Jenkins said.
The thief loaded several Lucky Lagers and some ciders into a small backpack before exiting out a side door, according to Jenkins.
“We have an idea who did it and hopefully they come forward before we actually go to speak with them,” he said.
Jenkins is urging the thief to own up to the crime.
“It’s the right thing to do for one thing,” he said.
“It’s a crappy thing to break into somebody’s house or business but it mitigates things somewhat if you come forward and, as I like to say, ‘fall on your sword;’ admit to what you’ve done and give some kind of remorse.”
He said such an act could be more meaningful to the thief’s victims than a court proceeding.
“Quite often, victims of crime are much more moved by that than they would be with that person getting a sentence in court, whether it be a fine or jail or probation,” Jenkins said. “Most people would like some kind of reconciliation with an offender that’s done them wrong.”
He added this approach is not appropriate for all crimes; violent crimes for example he said belong in the hands of the court, but for property offences like this one it’s best to just own up to it.
He suggested the restaurant’s owner wants an apology above all else.
“He would like the person to come forward and makes amends and we can certainly work within that framework,” Jenkins said.
The crime cost the restaurant an estimated $2,000, factoring in the broken window and the restaurant’s forced closure the next day as police collected evidence.