NANAIMO, B.C. - The Nanaimo RCMP is asking for the public’s help to identify a man who allegedly tried to force open a glass jewelry display case at the Costco warehouse in north Nanaimo shortly before 1 p.m. on Friday, October 23, 2026.
Police say surveillance footage shows the man examining the jewelry display at the store, located at 6700 Island Highway North, before attempting to pry open the case with an unknown tool. An alarm was activated and the man immediately fled the store. No merchandise was stolen.
What the suspect looks like
Police describe the suspect as:
- Caucasian man
- Approximately 50 to 60 years old
- Thin build
- Wearing a blue plaid jacket, a striped shirt, black pants, and dark shoes
The detachment has released a surveillance image of the man, shown in full below. The blue plaid jacket and the black-and-white striped shirt are the most distinctive details.
What police are saying
“Although no theft occurred, investigators are interested in identifying and speaking with this individual regarding the incident,” said Inspector Donovan Tait, Operations Officer with the Nanaimo RCMP.
How to help
Anyone who recognizes the man or has information about the incident is asked to call the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345 and quote File # 2026-35444.
Retail theft is a standing focus in Nanaimo’s north end
The attempted theft happened in the city’s north-end retail corridor, an area the Nanaimo RCMP has targeted in recent retail theft enforcement projects. The detachment reported earlier this year that it ran two targeted retail theft operations in high-traffic commercial areas, including the north-end retail corridor, after securing provincial C-STEP funding for enhanced policing in those areas.
Public identification appeals like this one are a standard Nanaimo RCMP tool: the detachment regularly releases surveillance images and asks residents and businesses who recognize a suspect to come forward, and tips from those appeals are often what allows investigators to put a name to a face.
Source: Nanaimo RCMP media advisory, File # 2026-35444.
