A Parksville resident is in jail after stealing items from change rooms at Oceanside Place Arena in Parksville.
On Oct. 6, police say 60-year-old Vincent Powley entered the arena and snuck into change rooms while hockey games were in session. Powley proceeded to steal items ranging from smart phones to wallets and a backpack. He then came back later in the evening and struck again.
Adult hockey players who noticed their items missing used a Find My Phone app which led them to a wooded area in Parksville where Powley, of no fixed address, was camping alone. The victims asked the man for the items back and they were returned, minus cash that had been in a wallet.
The Oceanside RCMP later viewed the surveillance footage from the arena and recognized the suspect as Powley. RCMP went to the same camp in Parksville and arrested him for the thefts. He also had two outstanding arrest warrants, both relating to prior thefts.
Powley was taken into custody and appeared in Nanaimo provincial court on Oct. 10, where he received a 45-day jail sentence.
— NEWS staff