To Catch a Thief
Need to solve a crime? There’s an app for that.
Last month we were the victims of a robbery. However, it appears that the Victoria thieving community is just not keeping up with technology. That was just one of the breaks that helped a police constable (and Ruffin’it client) crack the case.
On January 20th, just before closing, a man walked casually into our day camp while our staff was in the back filling a mop bucket. The man noticed he was alone, reached over the front counter and made off with a large sum of money.
The suspected thief then continued his splurge and walked down the street to a fast food restaurant, where, apparently, he also stole several cellphones. This is where he made his big mistake. One of these phones had the “Find My iPhone” application, which allows users to track their phones if they get lost. The owner tracked their device using “Find My iPhone” and told the police about where they could find the stolen items.
Busted! The man was arrested and found with the cellphones, but he did not have the stolen money from our shop.
This is where Constable Lisa Bruschetta comes in. She is a client of Ruffin’It and was an investigating officer on the case. Bear, her 5-month old Maltese-Shitzu, comes in for doggy day care several times a week. The tiny 8-pound Bear loves coming to Ruffin’It and lives up to his name, happily playing with the bigger dogs despite his small stature.
Constable Bruschetta and her team made enquiries in the neighbourhood. A nearby resident witnessed the thief stashing the items from our shop at a bus stop and told police about where to find them. When asked why he didn’t pick it up himself, the man said it wasn’t his money to take.
Just when a horrible event takes place that leaves you questioning the moral fiber of our society and the integrity of those in our community. The most unlikely of people comes out of the shadows to show you that there are others that have nothing in the way of possessions but will not compromise their morals to get ahead even if it means having a roof over their head or a warm meal in their tummy.
Bruschetta says that she and everyone in her department were thrilled that they were able to secure the stolen money and return it to us. Bruschetta says she knows that “small businesses are struggling so much right now so it was great that we were able to solve the issue so quickly.”
We have also been working with her to make sure we compensate the gentlemen with a kind reward that he so very much deserves.
Thanks to Constable Bruschetta and the Saanich police for helping us get our money back. Thank you to the homeless gentlemen for his honesty and integrity. And, well, thanks to “Find My iPhone,” too, for helping the police catch a thief!