Suspected underwear thief arrested on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast

The Powell River Recreation Complex is seen in this image from the city's parks, recreation and culture website. (powellriverprc.ca)

Mounties in Powell River, B.C., say they have arrested a 55-year-old man after “a series of thefts from the family change room” at a local recreation centre.

The first theft was reported in August, Powell River RCMP said in a news release Friday.

“The victim reported that undergarments had been taken from their locker in the family change room while they were using the pool facilities” at the Powell River Recreation Complex, the release reads.

Police began investigating and soon more reports of stolen underwear were received, with three more victims reporting similar incidents in September, according to authorities.

“In all cases, only undergarments were taken,” police said in their release.

On Nov. 13, officers arrested the suspect as he left the complex “while in possession of stolen undergarments,” Mounties said.

The man—who police did not name—has been banned from the recreation centre and “will appear in court at a later date,” according to police.

A search of online court records for the provided Powell River RCMP file number did not yield any results, suggesting that either charges have not yet been laid or there is a publication ban in place.

“This is obviously a concerning series of crimes and will not be tolerated in our community,” said Staff Sgt. Lee Dyson, officer in charge of the Powell River detachment, in the release.

“Our investigating officers spent considerable time on this matter and it was not easy getting to this point. I would also like to thank the City of Powell River staff for assisting with the investigation. It was challenging to identify the person and gather enough evidence to support charges, it could not have been done without their help.”

Investigators believe there may be other victims who have not reported their incidents, police said, adding that anyone who had undergarments stolen from the family change room should call Powell River RCMP at 604-485-6255 and quote file number 2025-4869.