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Oliver business offers $1,000 reward after being latest victim of break-ins

Numerous expensive tools stolen from Nor-Val Rentals
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Nor-Val Rentals store in Oliver on Maple Avenue was broken into in the middle of the night March 10 and numerous expensive electrical tools stolen. They are asking people to be on the look out for Milwaukee tools. (Facebook)

An Oliver equipment rental business is offering a $1,000 reward after they were the latest victim of break-ins that have plagued the community for nearly a year.

Nor-Val Rentals store on Maple Avenue was broken into the night of March 10 and numerous expensive electrical tools stolen.

Among the items taken were Milwaukee cordless nailers, hammer drills, cutoff saws, staplers and more, said Nor-Val Rentals. The business took to Facebook asking South Okanagan residents to be on the look out for the brand-name equipment, offering a $1,000 reward to anyone who finds or returns the gear.

Oliver, a town of around 5,000 people has seen its businesses experience an unprecedented amount of break-ins since early 2022.

The most recent victim was the Oliver Legion.

On March 8, officers responded to a motion alarm that had gone off earlier that morning to discover the building had been broken into.

A padlock to the storage area was broken, and then the thief or thieves removed a vent system to crawl inside into the bar area of the Legion.

The safe and ATM machine were both damaged extensively but no access was gained to either and approximately $150 was taken from a cash float.

READ MORE: Oliver Legion break-in disrespectful to veterans

The break-ins in Oliver have not stopped, despite arrests in the community.

Two different break-ins were reported March 3 and 4, both on Tucelnuit Drive. There have been over 50 break-ins to businesses since early 2022.

Oliver RCMP did confirm that one of the individuals who is being investigated for most of the break-ins in 2022 is still in custody.

Lloyd Baptiste, also known as LJ, is in custody over three break-and-enter charges he’s facing after being arrested in 2023. At the time of his arrest, Sgt. Don Wrigglesworth said he could be responsible for up to 40 of the 45 break-ins in 2022.

Baptiste is back in Penticton Provincial Court March 15.

READ MORE: Oliver man arrested for three recent break-ins, but may be connected to many more

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.

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Monique Tamminga

About the Author: Monique Tamminga

Monique brings 20 years of award-winning journalism experience to the role of editor at the Penticton Western News. Of those years, 17 were spent working as a senior reporter and acting editor with the Langley Advance Times.
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