Sunshine Coast RCMP reported the following for Sept. 13 to 20:
Thefts / Found Bike
• On Sept. 13, a thief stole an iPhone from a backpack that had been left in a public space in the 5900 block of Cowrie Street, Sechelt. Police are reviewing security video footage.
• On Sept. 13, a blue 18-speed bike found in the 4700 block of Laurel Avenue, Sechelt, was turned in to RCMP. Owner may claim within 30 days with detailed description, reference file 16-6112.
• On Sept. 15, a thief was caught on surveillance video stealing a pair of shoes from a business in the 900 block of Gibsons Way, Gibsons. The suspect, a heavy-set woman, is seen picking up the shoes from a display outside the store and continuing on through the mall. Police are reviewing the video footage. The file is still under investigation.
• Overnight on Sept. 13, a thief gained access to an unlocked vehicle parked in the 6300 block of Oracle Road, Sechelt, and stole a pink iPod, two USB phone chargers and a Magellan GPS unit. Police remind the public to remove valuables from their vehicles and to lock them to deter opportunistic thieves.
• Overnight on Sept. 15, a thief gained access to an unlocked vehicle parked in the 6200 block of Mika Road, Sechelt, and stole coins from the centre console, as well as several low-value items including garden boots, mittens, and a charger with sockets. No damage to the vehicle was reported.
• On Sept. 15, an attempted theft occurred at a business in the 900 block of Gibsons Way, Gibsons, after the suspect was witnessed placing an item in a suitcase and attempting to leave without paying for either item. The suspect, described as a 40-something male, possibly of Middle Eastern descent, six feet tall with dark short brown hair, was wearing a hat, gold chain, brown leather jacket, baggy blue jeans and dark shoes, grew agitated when confronted by staff and knocked over displays before leaving the premises without any of the items. Police are reviewing surveillance video.
Bear
• On Sept. 19, police attended a complaint about an aggressive bear at the back window of a residence in the 6200 block of Sechelt Inlet Road, Sechelt. Police located the bear at the back of the property and set off a bear banger, which scared the bear away. Due to its behaviour, the Conservation Officer Service was notified. Sunshine Coast RCMP would like to remind property owners that bears will be starting to forage for winter, and things like fruit trees and garbage cans left out may attract bears to your property, potentially endangering both bears and people.
Scam
• On Sept. 13, a Coast resident received a phone call from a person claiming to be from Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). The caller confirmed the resident’s address and advised the resident that he owed CRA thousands of dollars and that if he didn’t pay immediately, the resident would be arrested. The caller then told the resident that he could pay in iTunes gift cards as that was faster than using a credit card. The resident complied and sent photos of the PINs on the backs of the gift cards to the caller as proof. The caller then advised the resident that he owed even more money, at which point the caller realized something was wrong. The caller was advised to contact iTunes to try to cancel the gift cards. To learn more about this and other popular scams, please visit sites such as the Canadian Anti-Fraud Call Centre at www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca or the Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.org.
Collisions
• On Sept. 15, police attended a single-vehicle incident in the 8500 block of Highway 101, Halfmoon Bay, after a witness noticed a vehicle in the ravine and a male driver on his cell phone roadside. The driver, who was uninjured and not impaired, advised he had pulled over to the shoulder to allow cars to pass him and to check on a possible mechanical issue with his vehicle. The vehicle caught on the edge of the soft shoulder and entered the ditching, rolling onto its roof as a result. The matter has been referred to ICBC.
• Around 2 p.m. on Sept. 16, police attended a two-vehicle incident at the intersection of Gulf Road and Lower Road, Roberts Creek, after the first vehicle, which nearly hit another vehicle when it pulled out from Gulf Road onto Lower Road, proceeded north on Lower Road and crossed the centre line into the oncoming lane. The driver of the second vehicle, which was heading south on Lower Road, saw the first vehicle coming towards him but was unable to stop or swerve around as he was pulling a boat trailer, so both vehicles collided head on. Fortunately, only minor injuries were reported by both drivers, but both vehicles had to be towed from the scene. The driver of the first vehicle was issued a violation ticket for crossing a solid or broken line. The matter has been referred to ICBC.
– Sunshine Coast RCMP
