Another business targeted in Kelowna near Spall and Springfield road

Chris Pattie says his business was targeted just one day after three neighbouring businesses in the area of Springfield Road and Spall Road reported break-and-enters.

Pattie, who owns Sonic Wash, says a group were spotted on surveillance video opening up the locks on the business's garbage on Sept. 9.

"I can't believe how bold these guys are. It is the third time they have broken into our dumpster. They also tend to plug into our power. They are looking for valuables that people are throwing out. This time they used a grinder and bolt cutters."

Pattie says the group was there for roughly three hours.

"I am shocked that these guys are operating. Battery operated grinder," he added.

Pattie tells Castanet he will be filing a police report.

Mayor Colin Basran told Castanet last week he is "empathetic" to what business owners in the area have been dealing with lately.

"It's tough dealing with the pandemic, let alone this on top of it, so certainly I understand where their frustrations are coming from."

“That's why council has invested heavily over the last number of years in more RCMP officers, but it's also not feasible to have officers in every neighbourhood overnight anticipating something."

He called addiction-driven crime a health care issue that needs to be treated that way.

RCMP, meanwhile, are encouraging business owners to report property crime in the area, "we allocate our resources based on crime trends and preventative patrols."