Kamloops Mounties find stolen merchandise after rock used by burglar in smash-and-grab break-in

Photo: Castanet Staff

Police recovered a shopping cart full of stolen items early Friday morning after a crook used a rock to smash his way into an Aberdeen store — a burglary similar in nature to two more earlier this month.

Kamloops RCMP Const. Crystal Evelyn said Mounties were called to a business in the 1300-block of Hillside Drive at about 12:30 a.m. for a report of a glass-break alarm.

On-scene, Evelyn said, investigators found a rock that had been used to break into the store.

“Surveillance [video] revealed a man in black broke the glass, entered the store with a shopping cart, filled it up and left,” she said.

A police-dog unit helped find the shopping cart on Camosun Crescent, Evelyn said. It was returned to the store.

The Friday incident follows a series of similar break-ins at an unnamed Aberdeen Mall store earlier this month.

Twice in the span of three days, on Feb. 3 and Feb. 5, a store was targeted by smash-and-grab burglars who used rocks to break-in.

Anyone with information about the break-ins can call police at 250-828-3000 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.