Business owners are expressing exasperation after 28 breaks-ins in eight weeks, with the majority of those in the downtown.
Property owners have taken measures to protect themselves, but to no avail, according to Alex Zbar of MLW Ventures Ltd., who owns several commercial properties in the downtown area.
"I've spent thousands of dollars upgrading and it's still happening, I don't know where to go from here," he said.
Zbar called Squamish "a small town with big city problems" and said the downtown is suffering because people are afraid to establish businesses in the neighbourhood.
In light of the rash of burglaries, he said, he's had trouble getting and keeping tenants.
"They were afraid to move in unless I took extreme measures," he said. "So I've done a number of upgrades all paid for by me, at my expense."
He has installed upgraded lighting around the building, reinforced doors and locks and installed windows that are deemed impossible to remove.
Zbar is frustrated because the police seem to have their hands tied, "they know who's behind it and can't do anything about it."
Cpl. Dave Ritchie said the RCMP does have a person of interest - a recent resident -in a number of the files they're dealing with. Ritchie declined to disclose details of the investigation.
On May 14, RCMP arrested 27-year-old Nicholas Paul Tregidgo for two charges of break and enter, but he is not the main suspect in the bulk of the most recent spate of break-ins, said Ritchie.
Thanks to video surveillance at one establishment, said RCMP Const. Steve Rose, the RCMP is quite certain they know who's committing these most recent break-ins.
The crimes have led to tens of thousands of dollars in damage and stolen goods. Targetted businesses have included the Howe Sound Business Centre (May 11), the BC Hydro building (May 7), Car Tunes (May 4), Shell Service Station (April 26), KFC Restaurant (April 24), BC Hydro Sub Station (May 3), Sunsational Vacations (April 15), and several more, the majority being located in the downtown area. Laptops, cell phones, televisions, charity boxes and money are the principal stolen goods so far.
Eight Squamish business owners were frustrated enough with break-ins to attend a theft protection workshop hosted by Rose on May 12.
"We're not going to teach you magical ways to solve all your problems, but we can help you minimize the likelihood of robbery," he said.
Most who attended said they found the workshop thorough and interesting and would take his recommendations into consideration.
Maria Mattei, who owns In the Raw Organics located in Gelato Carina said someone had tried to break into Gelato Carina three times earlier that week.
"I was most curious about how much police can do if we don't have video and only our own recounting of what the person looks like," she said.
Mattei mentioned that the downtown Business Improvement Association (BIA) was considering getting video surveillance cameras - Rose said it was the best way to ensure identifying a suspect.
"The video is the best evidence that exists," said Rose, adding it's an expensive prevention method but definitely a worthwhile one.
BIA president Eric Armour said the organization is making inquiries into the cost of purchasing and installing video surveillance.
Mayor Greg Gardner said the district isn't considering video surveillance installation on private property as that is the responsibility of the business owner, however the district can take other measures.
"We are in dialogue on a regular basis with the RCMP about minimizing criminal activity, not only downtown but throughout the community," said Gardner.
One difference Armour would like to see is more police on foot and on bikes because "then they're not looking at the road and could see a lot more."
In the meantime, said Armour, he's concerned the downtown will get a bad reputation, and wants people to know businesses have actually fared well in the past several years when it comes to break-ins.
"We're definitely having a rash of break-ins, but if you look over the past three or four years, it's been really flat," he said. "Do I think it's a current problem? Yes. Do I think it's an ongoing problem? No."
However Paul Bride, a well-known photographer from the Garibaldi Highlands, isn't deterred. He's moving downtown to open a gallery at the Artisan Building. He said he didn't know about the recent number of break-ins but the news hasn't phased him.
"It's a nice building, we have friends downtown and downtown Squamish is a good place so why not?"
