Aspiring archer Cameron Prest was happy to report his new compound bow, arrows, quiver, release and stabilizers stolen from his vehicle over the weekend have been recovered.
Prest said his mom called him earlier this week to tell him the RCMP called and told her they had his bow and equipment.
He said he feared the worst, but arrived at the RCMP station to find the bow was not damaged and all of his arrows and other equipment were present and in good order.
The RCMP told him the bow and equipment were turned in to police. This was after social media posts and news stories had gone out to help raise awareness of the theft.
“I’m thankful to whoever turned it in,” he said. Prest was also thanking everyone who helped get the word out and those who donated towards a replacement bow. The donations have since been returned.
On Saturday, Prest went to the movie theatre at 9 p.m., parking his truck nearby.
He returned to his vehicle at about 11:30 p.m. and saw his vehicle had been rifled through and his belongings were all over, and some were gone.
The Mathews TRX 36 compound bow, his arrows and quiver, front stabilizer, and the belt he used for it all, and his work lap top were all taken.
Prest uses the bow to practice archery two to three times a week as he has been getting into competitive archery.
He finds it challenging to carry all the equipment in and out of his vehicle due to using a wheelchair, so he had been leaving it in the truck.
The leather belt also had sentimental value as he had broken it in to perfect softness when he was a wildland firefighter before becoming confined to a wheelchair.
He reported the theft to the RCMP and filed a report, but he said at the time they did not seem very optimistic he would be able to recover any of his belongings and he did not have the serial number recorded.
He had only had the bow for about a month.
It had taken him a month to find a used one in good shape to purchase the first time.
His lap top has still not been recovered.
READ MORE: Williams Lake RCMP investigating multiple thefts from vehicles
READ MORE: Archers from Williams Lake headed up to take aim at Quesnel targets and many came home with medals
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Residents reported several break and enters of vehicles over the weekend in the lakecity.