A handful of thieves recently released from jail are thought to be responsible for more than doubling the rate of break-ins in Nanaimo, police said.
There have been 34 break-ins in the past three weeks, RCMP spokesman Const. Gary O'Brien said. Items worth thousands of dollars in total were stolen.
Twenty-one thefts were from businesses. Police believe one group of thieves is targeting companies for computers and information stored on software.
"The information is then sold to those involved in the ... identify-theft market," O'Brien said.
In some incidents front doors were smashed and thieves quickly fled with items, while in others they carefully tried to evade security functions by cutting through drywall or entering through roofs.
Thirteen homes were broken into and computers, electronics, jewelry and liquor stolen.
O'Brien blamed the break-ins on prolific offenders recently out of jail. "They hone their craft in jail and they come back and they're ready to go," he said.
Nanaimo RCMP's property crime unit is working with its crime trend analyst to narrow down the suspects. "We've identified a handful of individuals," O'Brien said.
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