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Police seek help in naming Cowichan farmstand theft suspect

Video captured man prying cash box out stand on Norcross Road
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Police are asking for help in identifying this suspect in the theft of a cash box from a farm stand in the Cowichan Valley. (Submitted)

Police are hoping the public can help them track down the suspect in a theft from a Cowichan Valley farm stand last week.

On Monday, Sept. 21, surveillance cameras caught a man on video as he pried the cash box off the counter at the Farmstand Boutique on Norcross Road.

The owners of the stand not only lost the money out of the cash box, but also had to close the stand for a few days as the damage was repaired.

The suspect is a white man who had a brown beard and short brown hair at the time of the theft. He was driving a green pickup truck, believed to be from the 1990s, and was wearing dark pants and a black shirt.

Anyone with information about the theft or who is able to identify the person in the video is encouraged to reach out to the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP at 250-748-5522.

According to Const. Brian Wreggitt of the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP, this has been a particularly difficult season for small and local businesses.

“We appreciate any assistance that the community can provide in tracking down the person involved in this theft,” Wreggitt said. “And we encourage people to be good neighbours and report suspicious behaviour around farm stands to the owners or the police.”

Operators of farm stands and similar businesses are encouraged to conceal cash boxes in spots that are not easily visible from the road, to ensure that passersby can’t see at a glance how much money is in a cash box, and to empty the boxes frequently. Trail cams or suveillance systems can also be deterrents to thefts and help police identify suspects.