A suspected episode of vigilante justice sent one man to hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries, Campbell River RCMP say
On March 3, Campbell River RCMP responded to a call for assistance from a residence in the 100 Block of Thulin St. When officers arrived they found four men leaving the home with belongings they claimed were theirs and found the resident inside badly beaten, Const. Maury Tyre, Campbell River RCMP media relations officer, said in a press release.
The four men were arrested for Assault Causing Bodily Harm and were taken to Campbell River RCMP cells while the 40-year-old resident was transported to hospital for treatment of his injuries.
It is believed that the four men went to the home after receiving information that the 40-year-old resident was in possession of belongings that had been taken from their residences during Break and Enters.
“It’s easy to understand the level of anger that get’s created when one’s home is violated,” said Const. Tyre. “However, we urge members of the public not to take matters into their own hands. The end result can see the victim turning into an accused very quickly and violent crimes are typically viewed as more serious than property crimes. In other situations, we have seen the person who takes the matter into their own hands be quite seriously injured as well. What we need, is witnesses who are willing to share information fully on crimes with the police so that police can deal with it expediently in a legal fashion.”
Police were later able to execute a warrant at the residence and recover thousands of dollars of belongings from several different break ins that had occurred and return the items to their owners.
The four men who were arrested were released on conditions for a later court date. Police continue to investigate the initial violence call and the substantial amount of stolen property located in the residence.
If you wish to report criminal activity, contact the Campbell River RCMP at 250-286-6221. In an emergency please call 911.
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