Sunshine Coast RCMP reported the following for the week of Jan. 1 to 5.
Break and enters / thefts
• Overnight on Jan. 1, a thief gained access to an unlocked vehicle parked near the intersection of Stephens Road and Latimer Road, Roberts Creek, and stole a cell phone and wallet. No damage or further theft was reported.
• Sometime between Dec. 23 and Jan. 1, a thief broke into a residence in Halfmoon Bay. The thief(s) kicked open a back door to gain entry and stole two television sets, a laptop computer and stereo equipment. The suspect(s) failed to notice, however, that the railing was missing on the back deck, and while they were making their getaway, they fell off the deck, dropping the stereo equipment in the process. The file is still under investigation.
• On Jan. 1, a Coast resident reported his wallet stolen from his vehicle by two hitchhikers he picked up and drove to Tuwanek. The suspects, described as a scruffy male, about five foot seven inches in height and reeking of cigarettes, and a short female with dark hair, appear to have taken the cash only and left the otherwise intact wallet at a Canada Post office, which managed to track the resident down. Police remind the public of the risk of picking up strangers and giving them rides.
• On Jan. 3 at approximately 2:30 a.m., two suspects entered West Sechelt Elementary School in Sechelt and stole a brand new iPad 600 from a classroom. The iPad was in a black Otterbox case, and has SD46 etched into it. Police are reviewing surveillance footage and the file is still under investigation. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact RCMP, reference file 16-60.
• During the evening or overnight hours of Jan. 4 to 5, a commercial business compound was broken into in the Field Road area of Sechelt. Numerous company vehicles inside the compound were rifled through, and items including binoculars and a camera were stolen. Police are awaiting surveillance footage.
Fight
• Around 2 a.m. on Jan. 1, four people were pepper sprayed by a male after a fight broke out in the 1300 block of Roberts Creek Road. The victims remained at the scene and spoke with police, but the suspects fled prior to police arrival and were not located. It does not appear that this was a random attack, and although the victims received some injury, no one was seriously hurt.
Impaired drivers
• Late on Jan. 1, a passerby reported a downed scooter and injured rider in the 2800 block of Lower Road, Roberts Creek. The rider, who was treated on scene for injuries and taken to hospital for assessment, was exhibiting signs of intoxication and admitted to consuming alcohol. After being released from the hospital, the driver was taken to the detachment for an alcohol screening test. The driver refused to provide breath samples and despite receiving explanations about the consequences, continued to refuse. The driver was issued a 24-hour driving prohibition and an administrative driving prohibition. The file is still under investigation.
• On Jan. 3, a witness reported a possible impaired driver after witnessing the driver drinking something while in the driver’s seat of his vehicle and moving his vehicle around to various spots in a parking lot in Jack’s Lane, Gibsons. Police located the suspect driver and noted signs of intoxication by alcohol. The driver, who denied he’d been drinking recently, was given and failed a roadside alcohol screening test. The driver was issued a 90-day immediate roadside prohibition and his vehicle was impounded for 30 days.
• On Jan. 4, a witness reported that a possibly impaired driver had just crashed into some bushes in the 3000 block of Lower Road, Roberts Creek. The uninjured driver, who was intoxicated, was taken back to the detachment and given an alcohol screening test. After a positive reading, the driver was issued a 24-hour driving prohibition, an administrative driving prohibition and a promise to appear for impaired driving. The file is still under investigation.
