'Very cool customer': Edmonton-area RV thief had security stickers, flashing light on truck
Almost $500,000 worth of RVs were stolen from a pair of Edmonton-area dealerships in recent weeks and there is suspicion that the same person took all four of them.
Security footage from Vision RV in Acheson early Sunday morning shows grinder sparks flying while someone cuts the lock off a gate.
The person leaves for a while, presumably to make sure no security or police respond, before returning to take a $120,000 fifth wheel.
"He came back, opened up the gates. He went right over the fifth wheel, backed right up to it, and took it away," Dealer Principal Larry Ricci told CTV News Edmonton.
Video shows the thief returning later that night to grab another RV worth nearly $150,000.
The white pickup used in the crimes had a flashing amber light on the roof and a black and white "security" magnet on the driver's side.
Ricci believes the person driving it was the same man who came in the day before and had a salesperson show him the trailers that were stolen.
"This uh, this wasn’t his first rodeo," Ricci said. "Very cool customer."
Word of the thief's flashing light went off like a lightbulb for Victor DaSilva. He owns Outback RV in Sherwood Park.
"On Nov. 19, 10 or 10:30 in the evening they breached our property, came in, and took a customer unit," DaSilva said.
That trailer is worth about $100,000. A brand new fifth wheel of the same value was also stolen from his lot, DaSilva said. A light-coloured pickup with flashing lights was captured on Outback's security video.
"When we seen these flashing lights and we heard about the Vision episode, we thought hey, it’s got to be linked together," DaSilva said.
RCMP are working the case and the RV Dealers Association of Alberta has issued an alert for the two Acheson RVs that were stolen.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's David Ewasuk
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Trump's lawyers grill ex-tabloid publisher as 1st week of hush money trial testimony nears a close
After prosecutors' lead witness painted a tawdry portrait of “catch-and-kill” tabloid schemes, defence lawyers in Donald Trump's criminal trial on Friday sought to dig into an account of the former publisher of the National Enquirer and his efforts to protect Trump from negative stories during the 2016 election.