Vehicle, hunting knives, chainsaw stolen from Penticton, B.C. home as family slept

It was a scary start for a family in Penticton, BC, who wakes up and finds thief at their home on Sunday morning.

Penticton resident Nikki Evans said thieves broke into her parents’ home along Fairford Drive and stole their car, cell phone and hunting gear – including knives, chainsaws and other tools. other supplies.

The family believe the thieves broke into the downstairs room where Evan’s sister lived, and then went upstairs to the main house.

“They went around to the back of the house, opened the door and turned on all the lights, maybe even checked on (my sister’s) room – she thought (they) opened the door but she didn’t hear them,” Evans said.

According to Evans, her parents and sister were asleep at the time, but Evans’ sister woke up to the sound of them closing the door separating her suite from the laundry room.

“She realized that someone was there, panicked and then realized she had left her hunting gear on the table, and knew that her knife was in there to hunt. (She) immediately thought someone might hurt mom and dad and she went upstairs,” Evans said.

“Everybody was fine, thank goodness, and when they went out, no one was there.”

The family believes the thieves were scared to break in, as some of the belongings stolen from the home were piled up in the driveway.

The break-in happened around 4 a.m., and Evans received a panic phone call shortly after.

“I’m not going to lie, that’s scary. We lived a few blocks away in a townhouse – that was horrifying. You don’t feel safe in your own home,” she added.

All who were in the home at the time of the break-in were uninjured but Evans’ father, Daryl Tarr, said they were all traumatized.

“It took a while for it to soak in,” says Tarr. “Suddenly you start thinking, oh my god, they’re in my house. What if we showed up if they were there? “

Evans posted the missing vehicle on Facebook, and just hours later it was located about a block away with no external damage.

Evans said: “Social media has spent a day here.

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“Someone I know texted me around one-thirty and said, ‘I just got home for the day and your parents’ car[is]sitting outside my house.”

However, a stolen phone, credit card, car keys, a chainsaw and hunting gear have yet to be recovered.

“Our credit card and phone were cancelled. We also had to change the locks immediately, and when he arrived he said this probably won’t make you feel any better, but you weren’t the only one today,” Tarr said.

Following this incident, Evans wanted to remind residents to be vigilant.

“A warning to everyone to make sure everything is locked down. It’s very clear that these people are checking windows and doors every night,” Evans said.

“Three weeks ago, a friend of mine lived on the other side of town and someone cut their screen out of the window and broke into their house and did the same thing.”

Global News has contacted Penticton RCMP for more information on the break-ins.

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