Security footage shows suspect setting fire to Sechelt, B.C., coffee shop

A local coffee shop is the latest business in Sechelt, B.C., to be targeted in a recent string of crime that the community's mayor says is leaving some people scared to go to work.

Desmond Das, the owner of The Daily Roast Fine Coffee Company, says he was heartbroken when he found out someone had lit his shop's door on fire.

“I just, I couldn't believe … we’re just a little coffee shop,” Das said, adding that it's his family's livelihood.

Security surveillance footage of the business from Nov. 28 shows a person walking up to the front door and lighting a fire.

“Our entire door is up in flames, the lock's completely useless, you couldn't even open the door,” Das said. “It was really bad."

Das said his employee phoned him at 4:30 a.m. on the morning of the incident to tell him she couldn’t get inside the shop because the door had been burned.

"I don't know what this man was trying to do? He lit our door on fire ... [then] he left the premises, it’s crazy,” Das said.

Das's business isn't the only one being targeted in Sechelt. In recent months, two other nearby business have been dealing with break-and-enters and vandalism, costing them money and having a ripple effect of concern in the community.

On Halloween, two masked men stole $14,000 worth of Arc’teryx clothing from Trail Bay Source for Sports. Then in November, the store was vandalized twice.

Sunshine Coast RCMP say they have arrested and charged a 19-year-old who is a local resident in relation to the vandalism. They have been released but have a curfew and an electronic monitoring bracelet.

In October, a person was captured on video surveillance robbing Lucky’s Smokehouse restaurant on back-to-back nights.

Owner Li Mo said the person broke in on Oct. 7 and stole nearly all of their alcohol. Then, after they had restocked the next day, the suspect came back and took it all again.

“Both crimes were completed within three minutes. By the time the police arrived, the suspect had already fled,” Mo said.

Sunshine Coast RCMP Const. Karen Whitby said the vandalism as Das's coffee shop is under investigation and no arrests have been made.

She said there appears to be a recent increase in arson-type files in Sechelt, although formal statistics aren't yet out.

Mayor wants 'severe' consequences

Sechelt Mayor John Henderson called the recent thefts and vandalism unacceptable.

“It's become a real burden for first responders. It's certainly a burden for elected staff and staff of the district, but I think the thing that is most concerning is people are scared, people are worried to go to work,” Henderson said.

He’s calling for stiffer consequences for people who commit these types of offences.

“My personal goal is to work with and advocate to the authorities in Ottawa, and to a certain extent Victoria, to get very much more tough on crime,” he said.

Das said his staff had been feeling uneasy for a couple of months before the fire, with strangers sometimes showing up early in the morning and berating them. He said he reported it to police.

“It's been getting really bad,” Das said.

Const. Whitby said RCMP have been increasing foot patrols in Sechelt in the last few weeks "to address the ongoing issues of retail theft, property damage and nuisance behaviour," using funding from a provincial public safety program.

"Our objective is to identify, arrest and recommend charges for repeat property offenders and to enhance the feeling of safety in the community by increasing police presence," she said in an emailed statement.

The community has also been stepping up. Das said since the incident at his coffee shop, people have offered to show up in the morning to make the staff feel safe.

“The community has responded with so much support, that’s exactly why we moved to this town ten plus years ago,” Das said.

“The biggest thing is for us is we are a community, we can't forget how we were a couple years ago and we can't let a few bad apples affect the bond that we have as a community."