BRITISH COLUMBIA COMPUTER STOLEN http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Couple+thieves+return+photographs/4588625/story.html

Couple ask thieves to return photographs

2,000 pictures of 10-month-old son were stored on stolen computer

BY DANIELLE BELL, POSTMEDIA NEWS; AND TIMES COLONIST APRIL 9, 2011

A couple have appealed to thieves for the return of a laptop containing the only photographs of their young son.

Thieves struck after Vanessa Betcher and 10month-old Saylor stepped out from their home on Eight Street, Nanaimo, for an hour to attend a music lesson Thursday morning.

When Vanessa's husband, Peter, returned on his lunch break he found the house ransacked. A rear sliding door was opened and the thieves had ripped open drawers, rifled through bedrooms and even scoured the attic. Vanessa's engagement ring and a video game console had been stolen and two laptops -and Acer and a burgundy Toshiba -were also gone. The Toshiba contained all 2,000 pictures the couple had taken of Saylor, their only child, which they planned to put into an album.

"Words cannot describe what those pictures mean to us," Peter said in a statement. "We can't get back that time with our son, we are completely and utterly devastated by our loss."

The Betchers said they just want their laptop back, no questions asked.

On Friday, Peter said: "We feel violated. The last 10 months of our son's life are missing."

Nanaimo RCMP are investigating the break-in but said they have little to go on.

Officers urged the thieves to return the laptop. "Drop it off at a friend's place, call us or bring it to [the Nanaimo RCMP] detachment," Nanaimo RCMP spokesman Const.

Gary O'Brien said.

"Don't wait, do the right thing and allow the Betchers to have their memories back."

In four years, the Betchers' have had their house vandalized, their car broken into and patio furniture stolen.

Thursday's burglary is one of dozens in Nanaimo recently. Police have recorded a steep rise in home and business breakins, more than double the usual rate, across the city. Recently freed prisoners are believed to be behind the break-ins. There have been 21 thefts from businesses and 13 from homes in the past three weeks.

Police say thieves have used various ways to break in to homes and business premises, including smashing front doors, cutting through drywall, breaking through roofs and popping out sliding patio doors.

The majority of the home break-ins took place during the day, when residents were out. Anyone with information is asked to contact Nanaimo RCMP at 250754-2345 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

You can also go online at www.nanaimocrimestoppers.com.

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