An arrest has been made after a reported robbery of a rubber sex toy from the Sexy Kitten Adult Boutique in Courtenay — and it was the owner of the boutique herself who played the biggest role in the suspect’s capture.
On Jan. 17, the Comox Valley RCMP apprehended a suspect who the previous Wednesday had allegedly stolen a foot-long rubber toy from the boutique.
The arrested suspect appears to be a man in his mid-60s.
Sexy Kitten Boutique owner Janel Debalinhard said she recognized the suspect instantly when she watched surveillance footage.
She said the man had previously expressed interest in a similar toy and had even used a tape measure to measure it.
“A man came in a few times — more than five — to check out a particular item,” said Debalinhard.
The toy the man allegedly stole was not the one he had asked about, which Debalinhard said was sold earlier that day, but a significantly larger one that was on sale for $150.
Debalinhard said she later recognized the suspect while waiting for a coffee and notified RCMP.
“I hadn’t ordered yet, but I turned and looked at the window, because someone told me to, and there he was walking through the parking lot,” she said. “I left, got in my car, and followed him going 1 km/h all the way through town.”
The suspect was released on bail, with a promise to appear in court.