Victoria, BC – Officers are searching for a man wanted on warrants who is also a person of interest into an investigation into the ransacking of a short-term rental property.
Brandon Wildman is described as a 38 year-old Caucasian man with a thin build, standing five feet, ten inches tall. Wildman is balding, but often shaves his head and sometimes has a trimmed moustache or beard. He may be using the alias of David Howden. Warrants have been used for Wildman’s arrest for alleged offences in which he was reported to have used “David Howden” as his alias. These warrants involve a series of investigations in which Wildman is allegedly responsible for theft and damage to short-term and roommate rental accommodations.
A photograph of Brandon Wildman is below.
In addition to his warrants, Wildman is a person of interest in an investigation into damage to a short-term rental property in Victoria.
The property owner called police to report that she had rented her short-term rental to a man who, not only did not pay his rental fee, but had stolen many items from within and damaged the property. While the property owner often rents out her property using services which require verification, this time, a relative had posted the rental availability through a website that does not require verification. Despite her misgivings, the property owner agreed to rent the property to the man, despite not having met him, seen him in person, nor being able to independently verify his identity. Upon her return home, she discovered the thefts and the extensive damage.
The combined losses for this file are over $5000.
If you see Brandon Wildman, please call 911. If you have information about his whereabouts, please call (250) 995-7654, or Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Brandon Wildman is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Information for those renting short-term properties or looking for roommates
You can protect yourself by taking a few key steps when renting space:
- Do not rent your space to someone without meeting that person or, for those who use short-term rental services like AirBnB, only rent to approved, confirmed persons.
- For those renting to roommates – do not rent your space without receiving a damage deposit.
- Ensure your valuables are secured when renting your space to persons you do not know.
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