UNITY — Word got around fast in Unity on Jan. 8 that multiple businesses and public spaces were the latest victims of breaking and entering, and the Unity RCMP are investigating.
Ma & Me Bakery owner, Jennifer Belcher, was one of the first businesses to announce the burglary on social media and to inform early morning customers that the bakery would not be open until later in the day. After business hours were over, River Valley Eye Care also shared on social media how grateful they were for the support from the local RCMP and the overall community.
“Grateful today for the Unity RCMP and the small community of Unity that has embraced Dr. L, myself and our staff. We had a minor disruption to our business this morning, along with a few of our fellow Unity business owners, and we are grateful that no one was hurt. But disappointed in the individual(s) who have chosen to break the circle of trust within this quaint community,” said the company in an online post.
Sgt. Christopher Neufeld of the Unity RCMP spoke with SaskToday about the break-ins.
“With all of the break-ins that occurred overnight, in the early morning hours of Jan. 8, it appears that the suspect is the same based on the video surveillance and M.O. [method of operation] of the suspect, and he likely acted alone. Although the investigation is in its infancy, we will be working with our neighbouring detachments and the Serious Crime Unit to see if our rash of break-ins is connected to those in other areas.”
As the detachment continues its investigation, the Unity RCMP would like to ask Unity residents to check their video camera footage between the hours of 12 a.m. and 3 a.m. on Jan. 8 for any suspicious activity.
“We are specifically looking for footage of an individual in a dark jacket/sweater and blue jeans. We are also interested in any vehicle that the individual would be associated with,” added Neufeld.
There has been speculation that the recent break-ins may be linked to other break-ins from last month, when the St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church and the Unity Legion Hall were also broken into. Neufeld did share that there are a lot of similarities between the cases, and there’s a chance it is the same person.
The Unity RCMP have suggested that homeowners and business owners alike take the following precautions to avoid any future break-ins:
- Keep your property well-lit (our suspect was seen hiding in dark places waiting for traffic to go by)
- Invest in a good quality camera – consider one that sends alerts, and that can be accessed and viewed remotely
- Invest in quality locks – and consider multiple locks (such as a reinforced deadbolt lock in addition to the latch lock on exterior doors)
- Try not to leave cash in your business – (some cash was lost in the break-ins overnight; however, the businesses did well not having too much cash on the premises)
If you have any information regarding any of the break-ins or have video surveillance you would like to share with the Unity RCMP, please contact them at 306-228-6300.
