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B.C. students’ camping trip goes ahead despite tents getting stolen

Nanaimo businesses, school staff and parents ensure trip goes on
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Thieves didn’t manage to stop a Grade 7 camping trip from happening this week.

According to a Nanaimo RCMP press release, all nine tents set out for a year-end camping trip for ‘graduating’ Departure Bay Eco-School students were discovered stolen less than 24 hours before the planned excursion.

After reporting the theft, school staff advised parents, who spread the word over social media and “sure enough, within hours several community-minded businesses, staff and parents saved the day and managed to find more than enough tents to replace the stolen ones,” noted the press release.

Police called it an example of good winning out over evil.

“The theft was disheartening but to see the community and businesses come to together to right a wrong was so wonderful. The students left this morning on their three-day adventure and it was smiles all around,” said Annette Noble, principal at Departure Bay Eco-School, in the release.

RCMP found that thieves had cut locks to an outside fenced-in area at the school and made off with the tents and several bags of refundable plastic recyclables. The theft happened sometime between 6 p.m. Friday, June 21, and 9:30 a.m. Sunday, June 23. No descriptions were provided for the stolen tents.

Anyone with information is asked to call Nanaimo RCMP at 250-754-2345 or contact Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-8477 or submitting a tip online at www.nanaimocrimestoppers.com.

For past coverage of unsolved crimes in Nanaimo, click here.

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editor@nanaimobulletin.com

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