A group of Penticton, BC residents have banded together in an effort to push back against their city becoming a “haven" for catch-and-release criminals..Local gym owner Jason Reynen says he’s had about $25,000 in damages and stolen property as a result of smash-and-grab crime, influencing him to mobilize other business owners, fathers, and members of the community as a whole to take matters into their own hands..“You could call it vigilantism, but I think we’re a little more organized than a vigilante group,” Reynen told the Western Standard..“These are family men looking out for the greater good.”.Reynen says he doesn’t feel comfortable letting his daughter walk to the park anymore due to an increase in transient drug addicts hanging around, relentlessly stealing property from locals and selling it at a fraction of the cost for a quick fix..“The cops are busy doing other stuff, so I’m taking it upon myself and a bunch of other business owners in Penticton who are tired of this happening without any repercussions,” he said..“There’s areas where they [thieves] have set up chop-shops, as well as places that have been converted into wet motels, so we just canvass those areas and any goods that don’t belong to those people we take back.”.Reynen then posts pictures of the items on Facebook, hoping to identify the owners, or, if not, donate the goods to people who’ve had similar items stolen..When asked if he is concerned about potentially violent encounters, Reynen said he’s not too worried about it..“We come in numbers, 10-15 guys,” he said..“When it comes to a group of frail drug addicts, I’m not too concerned. There’s been times I’ve been broken into and I have recovered my items with just one other guy.”.Reynen says violence isn’t used as a tactic, but rather forms of coercion with the least amount of physical contact possible — if any..When the Penticton local’s bike was stolen, he said he was able to track the thief down, convincing the individual he’d be paid $1,000 to return the stolen item..The thief ended up bringing the bike — which had already changed hands several times — to Reynen in exchange for the money..“As he was leaving I took my $1,000 back,” he said..Reynen explained his shop had also been broken into and two iPads were stolen, however he used security camera footage to identify clothing items, and while canvassing that same day he found an individual wearing shoes identified in the footage..“I told him I knew he was in my shop earlier and that I’d like the iPads back,” Reynen said..“He gave up one and said he’d already sold the other.”.Reynen recovered both iPads in short order..Speaking about the newly formed initiative, Reynen says they’ll go out once a week looking for stolen property..“If we drive up I want them to fear seeing my truck,” he said..“I want them to fear seeing us roll around because they don’t have that with the police anymore.”.Reynen reiterated that he wants Penticton residents to first contact the police if their property is stolen before reaching out to his group..Asked why Penticton’s smash-and-grab problem is such an issue for residents, Reynen said it’s because the criminals get a “slap on the wrist” when it comes to theft under $5,000..“These guys have 10, 20, 30 counts on their record, and so I think there needs to be a change from the top down,” he said, adding that he wants to see the charges accumulate..“So maybe it’s $500 one time, $600 in goods another, but it accumulates to that $5,000 and then the guy has to spend the six months in prison.”.Reynen’s private group, called Clean Streets Penticton, now has nearly 400 members..Cyclical catch-and-release concerns have not only become widespread in Penticton, but across the Okanagan and province as a whole..In May, the BC Urban Mayors' Caucus highlighted a Kelowna RCMP report about one offender who has been the subject of 346 police files over the last six years, receiving 29 convictions for various property crime and assault offences, only to be routinely released with conditions before re-offending.."We will organize, outfit, and expand. Together we can outsmart and reduce criminal activities," reads the Clean Streets Penticton description..Every day new posts are plastered to the group showcasing security footage, written descriptions of suspected criminals, etc.."Watch out for this guy. He’s probably already out thieving again. And the way he looked inside our home where my children play makes me think he could be dangerous," said one member posting security footage stills of a man who'd broken into his home.
A group of Penticton, BC residents have banded together in an effort to push back against their city becoming a “haven" for catch-and-release criminals..Local gym owner Jason Reynen says he’s had about $25,000 in damages and stolen property as a result of smash-and-grab crime, influencing him to mobilize other business owners, fathers, and members of the community as a whole to take matters into their own hands..“You could call it vigilantism, but I think we’re a little more organized than a vigilante group,” Reynen told the Western Standard..“These are family men looking out for the greater good.”.Reynen says he doesn’t feel comfortable letting his daughter walk to the park anymore due to an increase in transient drug addicts hanging around, relentlessly stealing property from locals and selling it at a fraction of the cost for a quick fix..“The cops are busy doing other stuff, so I’m taking it upon myself and a bunch of other business owners in Penticton who are tired of this happening without any repercussions,” he said..“There’s areas where they [thieves] have set up chop-shops, as well as places that have been converted into wet motels, so we just canvass those areas and any goods that don’t belong to those people we take back.”.Reynen then posts pictures of the items on Facebook, hoping to identify the owners, or, if not, donate the goods to people who’ve had similar items stolen..When asked if he is concerned about potentially violent encounters, Reynen said he’s not too worried about it..“We come in numbers, 10-15 guys,” he said..“When it comes to a group of frail drug addicts, I’m not too concerned. There’s been times I’ve been broken into and I have recovered my items with just one other guy.”.Reynen says violence isn’t used as a tactic, but rather forms of coercion with the least amount of physical contact possible — if any..When the Penticton local’s bike was stolen, he said he was able to track the thief down, convincing the individual he’d be paid $1,000 to return the stolen item..The thief ended up bringing the bike — which had already changed hands several times — to Reynen in exchange for the money..“As he was leaving I took my $1,000 back,” he said..Reynen explained his shop had also been broken into and two iPads were stolen, however he used security camera footage to identify clothing items, and while canvassing that same day he found an individual wearing shoes identified in the footage..“I told him I knew he was in my shop earlier and that I’d like the iPads back,” Reynen said..“He gave up one and said he’d already sold the other.”.Reynen recovered both iPads in short order..Speaking about the newly formed initiative, Reynen says they’ll go out once a week looking for stolen property..“If we drive up I want them to fear seeing my truck,” he said..“I want them to fear seeing us roll around because they don’t have that with the police anymore.”.Reynen reiterated that he wants Penticton residents to first contact the police if their property is stolen before reaching out to his group..Asked why Penticton’s smash-and-grab problem is such an issue for residents, Reynen said it’s because the criminals get a “slap on the wrist” when it comes to theft under $5,000..“These guys have 10, 20, 30 counts on their record, and so I think there needs to be a change from the top down,” he said, adding that he wants to see the charges accumulate..“So maybe it’s $500 one time, $600 in goods another, but it accumulates to that $5,000 and then the guy has to spend the six months in prison.”.Reynen’s private group, called Clean Streets Penticton, now has nearly 400 members..Cyclical catch-and-release concerns have not only become widespread in Penticton, but across the Okanagan and province as a whole..In May, the BC Urban Mayors' Caucus highlighted a Kelowna RCMP report about one offender who has been the subject of 346 police files over the last six years, receiving 29 convictions for various property crime and assault offences, only to be routinely released with conditions before re-offending.."We will organize, outfit, and expand. Together we can outsmart and reduce criminal activities," reads the Clean Streets Penticton description..Every day new posts are plastered to the group showcasing security footage, written descriptions of suspected criminals, etc.."Watch out for this guy. He’s probably already out thieving again. And the way he looked inside our home where my children play makes me think he could be dangerous," said one member posting security footage stills of a man who'd broken into his home.
