Central Saanich police badge and identification found during a raid on the home of a Hells Angels member

Central Saanich police badge and identification found during a raid on the home of a Hells Angels member this week in Nanaimo was stolen from an officer's car last month, police say.Const. Janis Jean of the Central Saanich police said yesterday the badge was taken from an off-duty officer's private car, which was parked in a downtown Victoria parkade May 1.The officer had locked his car, but returned to find a window had been smashed and the badge and other personal items were gone.The officer reported the stolen badge immediately to his department, which issued a bulletin about the theft.The badge and identification was found by Nanaimo RCMP on Wednesday, along with RCMP clothing, loaded firearms and stolen electronics, during a search of the home of a known member of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang. Jean said there is no evidence the officer's car was targeted for the badge, which was stolen along with its accompanying identification -- the name and rank of its owner.By leaving the badge in the car, Jean said, the officer was violating a Central Saanich police policy that officers must carry their badges with them at all times, regardless of whether they are on duty.Jean was reluctant to say if there would be repercussions for the officer, who is described as a "seasoned officer."
"Clearly he's recognizing the consequences of his mistake," she said. "He made a mistake, but in all honesty, we all make mistakes."Jean said incidences of missing badges are rare, citing only one other occasion that she is aware of in her 21-year career in which a badge has been stolen or gone missing.Police are continuing to investigate the theft.