Small Island business hit hard after stolen vehicle, tools destroyed in Saanich incident

A Victoria-area landscaping business is working to financially recover after a stolen work truck loaded with essential equipment was later found burned on a Saanich golf course, leaving the small operation without its primary means of getting crews and tools to job sites.

The incident unfolded on May 27, when a truck belonging to Tony Nicholls was taken while parked outside a church where Nicholls was working.

He says the theft happened right in front of him.

“I looked and my truck was driving away in the parking lot,” he recalled.

“I said, ‘God, my truck is being stolen,’ and I started running down the road… quite distraught.”

At first, he thought it might be a mistake or a joke. Instead, the situation escalated within moments. Neighbours called 911 for him because his phone was in the truck.

Police later found the truck in the Cedar Hill area during a response that ended on the grounds of Cedar Hill Golf Course, where the truck was set on fire following a police containment effort. One person has since been arrested in connection with the incident, according to police.

The stolen vehicle was packed with daily-use landscaping equipment, the tools that keep a small crew moving from job to job across the region.

“I lost obviously my truck and I had my good equipment in that truck,” Nicholls said. “It added up to about $12,000 with the three commercial mowers and other equipment.”

Without it, operations have been reduced to patchwork solutions, including borrowed resources and a temporary rental vehicle.

The loss has also exposed an insurance gap that has made recovery even more difficult.

“I was a little bit lax in that area,” Nicholls said. “I didn’t have fire and theft on it. I was just getting basic and never dreamed that any of this would happen.”

Despite the setback, Nicholls says he has been overwhelmed by the response from clients, friends and the broader community, with support helping the business stay afloat as it rebuilds.

In addition, a staff member started a GoFundMe to help recoup the financial losses.

“It has been a blessing,” he said. “I am a man of faith… I’ve been praying for that to happen.”

For now, the focus is on continuity and keeping the business running while slowly replacing what was lost.

“We’ll get through this,” he said. “We take it a day at a time.”

Police say the investigation is ongoing. The fire caused damage and disruption at Cedar Hill Golf Course, which was temporarily closed while crews responded and assessed the scene.