Wilf Risbey and his wife were recent victims of theft recently.
Sometime in the night of October 26, or during the early morning hours of October 27, Risbey’s backyard shed was broken into and the contents rifled.
The theft was undiscovered until the following morning when Risbey, out walking his dog, discovered a plastic tray full of tools - his tools - tucked into a hedge that wraps around the north and east sides of his property on Second Avenue.
Curious as to how and why the container got there, Risbey went to check his garden shed, which he found in a big mess.
“It took me all morning to sort it out,” he said, “there were a number of items missing.”
Risbey took inventory of his losses, which included corded and cordless drills, small tools, a carpet stapler and a 20 litre Mercury outboard fuel tank.
“I estimated over $500 worth of tools stolen,” Risbey said.
On another curious note, a passing motorist, somewhere in the vicinity, as Risbey was unaware of the exact location - spotted and picked up other hardware of Risbey’s and turned over to the police.
Risbey thinks whoever took the tools probably stashed them with the intention of returning right away to pick them up, but was beaten to it by the passing motorist.
“My wife thought she might have heard a vehicle drive up the alley next to the house, and the neighbour’s dog kicked up a racket for a time that evening,” Risbey recalled, but other than that, there was nothing to indicate that someone might have been trespassing that night.
Risbey’s backyard contains a motion sensitive floodlight, in addition to being almost inaccesible because of a thick hedge around half the property, and a fence along the other side. Anyone attempting to trespass would have few exit options for getting out of the yard if caught in the act.
Risbey figures that whoever is responsible isn’t thinking too far ahead, probably just looking for a quick few dollars.
“Things are changing,” he said, “Keremeos used to be a town where you never had to concern yourself with things like this.”