Police are looking for suspects after $11,000 worth of tools and a trailer were stolen from the Best Western — currently under construction — on Crawford Avenue.

The theft occurred at about 7:45 p.m. on Saturday (April 1). Surveillance video at the work site caught a white pickup truck backing up and towing the trailer away. The trailer is described as a 2016 10×6 white continental box trailer with the B.C. license plate 74554D. the trailer is valued at $6,000.

This vehicle was caught on camera Saturday stealing a trailer filled with about $11,000 worth of tools. (Photo submitted by RCMP)

“It’s a big loss for them. It’s $6,000 for the trailer itself and  about $11,000 worth of equipment that was in the trailer,” said RCMP Const. Tracy Dunsmore.

She said police have not been able to identify the license plate of the vehicle involved in the theft.

“You can see one male in the vehicle, but it’s really hard to see him,” Dunsmore said, adding that the truck itself is unique as it has a black stripe on the bottom.

She said police still need to review the surveillance video in its entirety, and have yet to compile a complete list of stolen tools.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Merritt RCMP or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

This is the second time in about two months that the incomplete hotel has been a target for thieves.

Back on Feb. 5, two male suspects broke into the hotel and took approximately $5,000 worth of copper wire, copper pipe and other tools, according to Crimestoppers.

Tools stolen from the site were recovered by RCMP in Kamloops a month later.

Merritt RCMP Const. Ryan Dell said they were called to the Tournament Capital on March 6 to pick up about $1,000 worth of construction tools that were seized from the back of a vehicle by RCMP in Kamloops.

“We went down there and determined the tools were from the Best Western here and recovered them,” RCMP Const. Ryan Dell told the Herald.

At that time, Dell said he was not sure if the people found in possession of the tools in Kamloops are the same ones believed responsible for the break-in that Crimestoppers identified.

Dell said the persons found with the tools could be charged with possession of stolen property or theft.

“If it’s the two that [we’ve] seen do it on the video, then they can be charged with theft,” said Dell.