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Rare and valuable tomes stolen in Victoria bookstore break and enter

Police chief praises officers who ‘booked’ a suspect
31827594_web1_230210-VNE-RusselBooksSwiped-fb_2
Several thousands of dollars worth of rare books were stolen from a business on Fort Street in downtown Victoria. (Russell Books/Facebook)

A Fort Street bookstore suffered a significant loss in a book-targeted theft.

Locked cases containing rare and valuable books were discovered broken and rummaged through Thursday (Feb. 9) at Russell Books. More than $55,000 worth of books were stolen, the business reported on social media.

Victoria Police Department Chief Del Manak later took to social media praising officers who located and “booked” a suspect.

Working with information from the store’s owners, community members and CCTV footage, police discovered the suspect had unsuccessfully tried to break in to a multi-unit residential temporary housing facility on the 800-block of Johnson Street.

Later that afternoon, officers located a man matching the description and in possession of roughly $22,000 in stolen books. Police said he also had three outstanding warrants in B.C. for offences including mischief under $5,000, possession of stolen property over $5,000 and break and enter with intent.

Additional information indicated that a second individual had entered the business shortly after the initial break in and stole books, but police said that individual remains outstanding.

“Officers did more digging and located most, if not all, of the stolen books,” Del Manak wrote.

Anyone with information about the break and enter is asked to call the VicPD report desk at 250-995-7654, or Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

READ ALSO: Police seek suspect after Wednesday morning window-smashing spree downtown


@van_reeuwyk
christine.vanreeuwyk@blackpress.ca

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31827594_web1_230210-VNE-RusselBooksSwiped-fb_3
Several thousands of dollars worth of rare books were stolen from a business on Fort Street in downtown Victoria. (Russell Books/Facebook)