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Nanaimo homeowner makes citizen’s arrest after alleged break-in by ‘shoeless bandit’

31-year-old suspect arrested, released on promise to appear in court
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A Nanaimo homeowner chased and subdued a break-and-enter suspect in the middle of the night this past weekend.

According to a Nanaimo RCMP press release, the 46-year-old homeowner woke up at about 2:30 a.m. Sunday in the 1000 block of Beverly Drive in the Northfield area to find his front door wide open and a man with no shoes out on the front lawn attempting to flee.

“The homeowner gave chase and was able to subdue the shoeless bandit until police arrived,” the release noted.

During the struggle, the suspect allegedly tried to whip a lanyard at the homeowner, to little effect.

Nothing appeared to have been stolen from the home and police say a barking dog “may have been enough to dissuade the suspect from carrying on his misguided attempt at thievery.”

The release noted that alcohol may have been a factor in the suspect’s decision to remove his shoes prior to the alleged break-in, adding that “police later returned the man’s shoes to him.”

The 31-year-old suspect was held in custody overnight and released on a promise to appear in provincial court in Nanaimo on Feb. 2 to face a charge of break-and-enter.

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editor@nanaimobulletin.com

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