Nicola Valley Search and Rescue (NVSAR) is out over a thousand dollars worth of equipment after thieves cut a fence and dragged search and rescue gear through the mud during two break-ins over the weekend.
Merritt RCMP Cst. Dunsmore said the first incident took place on the morning of Nov. 9.
“The gate had been cut in the back and there was a hockey bag full of our gear that was left at the bottom of the hill,” she said. “I think they weren’t able to drag it [because] it was too heavy and that hill is pretty muddy and slippery. So we got some of those items back.”
RCMP fixed the fence and locked everything up, but the following morning they came back to discover the fence had been cut again.
“We could follow the marks — they dragged one of our stretchers down the road and they had it all wrapped it up with a lot of our gear,” she said.
While the association was able to retrieve some items, Dunsmore said the thieves managed to walk away with a mapping computer, swift water gear and emergency equipment including two of the group’s main first aid kits.
“They contained EMT-level first aid gear with two oxygen tanks, so that is well over a thousand dollars worth of gear,” she said. “We can’t respond to a call without our first aid gear, so until we can replace it we will have to make other arrangements.”
This is not the first time the non-profit group has been targeted by thieves, as their compound was broken into back in April as well.
“It is kind of disappointing because a lot of this stuff is very specific to search and rescue and is not something that can be easily sold or traded,” Dunsmore said. “A lot of is marked with NVSAR on it.”
She said the suspects appear to have been on foot, and RCMP believe they are locals.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Merritt RCMP at 250-378-4262 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
