Salmon Arm RCMP say young girl woke up to see suspected thief in her bedroom

Thief in girl's bedroom

Photo: Glacier Media

FILE - An RCMP SUV

Mounties say a Blind Bay woman found electronics, tools and cash had been taken from her home after hearing that her daughter had been awoken in the early morning hours by a strange woman standing in her room.

Salmon Arm RCMP said officers received the report on Oct. 9 at about 10 a.m. The Blind Bay resident told police an unknown woman had broken into her house and stole several items.

“Police attended and met with the woman, who explained her school-aged daughter was awoken around 6:30 a.m. by a woman in her bedroom,” said Const. Andrew Hodges, Salmon Arm RCMP spokesperson.

He said it was dark in the room, and the daughter thought it was her mom in the bedroom and went back to sleep.

“The complainant did not realize what had happened until later that morning when taking her daughter to school," Hodges said.

He said the girl had asked her mother why she had been in her room, which set off alarm bells as the mom hadn't entered her daughter's bedroom at that time.

Hodges said police found no evidence of forced entry. They believe the suspect was able to get in through the front door, as the woman’s husband left it unlocked when he left early for work.

Police said when the complainant returned home from taking her daughter to school she noticed several missing items, including two laptops, two cell phones, $100 in cash, tools and a bicycle.

“Police received two other reports of a suspicious female in the area, but despite extensive patrols over several hours could not locate her,” Hodges said.

“Police did locate the stolen bicycle down the road from the residence, where it was suspected the female possibly hitchhiked a ride after making her way to the Trans Canada Highway.”

Hodges said a forensic identification team conducted an investigation of the complainant’s home, but they were unable to obtain any fingerprints from the suspect.