Salmon Arm Mounties warn tradespeople to take tools home after $20K theft

No leads on $20K tool theft

Photo: Contributed

Salmon Arm tradespeople told to secure their tools indoors after recent construction site theft netted $20k worth of tools.

Local construction companies are being warned by police to ensure tools are secured overnight or brought home after a break-in at a Salmon Arm work site led to the theft of tools worth $20,000.

Mounties said on Jan. 28, a man reported an overnight break-in at a residential construction site in Salmon Arm, estimated that thousands of dollars' worth of tools had been taken.

“This is a reminder to all local construction businesses that if you cannot secure your tools inside overnight, they should be packed up and removed from site,” said RCMP Const. Andrew Hodges.

Hodges said when police attended the construction site, it appeared the tools had been taken through an unfinished window opening. Although some tools were recovered in a bush near the construction site, Hodges said police didn't have many leads to go on to recover the other stolen tools.

“There were no witnesses, no suspects, no video surveillance in the area and no suitable surfaces for forensics,” Hodges said.

Officers checked some known locations to try and locate the stolen tools but were ultimately unsuccessful.