Sunshine Coast RCMP reported the following for Jan. 3 to 10:
Stolen vehicle / theft / break & enter
• On Jan. 3, a Gibsons resident reported that his red Dodge Dakota pickup had been stolen from his residence on Seaview Road sometime over the past couple of days. The burned-out remains of the vehicle were spotted by a passerby on the Roberts Creek / Flume Forest Service Road, off Largo Road (B&K) on Jan. 7, although the vehicle may have been seen there as early as Jan. 3. RCMP are still investigating. If you have any additional information about when the vehicle was left on the forest service road, or any suspicious activity in the area, call Sunshine Coast RCMP, and reference file #16-53.
• On the afternoon of Jan. 6, a thief stole a newly repaired and upgraded bike from the back of a truck parked at Trail Bay Mall, Sechelt. The stolen bike is a unisex Norco Storm 7.1 Forma bike that has a grey body with blue highlights, blue hand grips, white front shocks, and an “I (heart) Ukee” sticker at the handlebar base. Anyone with information about this theft is asked to contact RCMP, reference file 16-112.
• Overnight on Jan. 9, a thief gained entry to an unlocked building in the 5400 block of Trail Island Drive, Sechelt, and stole a black and orange Worx brand leaf blower. No damage was reported.
Collisions
• Around 5 p.m. on Jan. 5, emergency services responded to a minivan in the ditch near Brooks Road on the Sunshine Coast Highway, with one person trapped inside. The van had been travelling north on the highway when it struck a patch of black ice and slid off the road. The driver was taken to hospital by paramedics; however, no serious injuries were sustained. Road conditions seem to have been the primary factor in the collision.
• On the evening of Jan. 6, police attended a single-vehicle incident on the bypass on Port Mellon Highway, Langdale, after a vehicle lost control on the icy surface and drove into a ditch. The driver was taken to Sechelt Hospital for assessment and the damaged vehicle was towed. Due to the extremely icy road conditions, the bypass was shut down completely until Capilano Highways was able to treat the surface. The matter has been referred to ICBC.
Scam
• It appears that a popular old scam has resurfaced on the Coast. Several Coast residents have reported receiving “Urgent Notice” postcards advising that they have an unclaimed reward of a $100 gas card and that they have 21 days to call the listed number to claim it. One resident did so and was eventually asked for her credit card and other sensitive information. Fortunately, the resident realized this was suspicious and hung up the phone before giving up too much information. Police would like to remind the public to beware of any offers that “seem to good to be true,” and that demand urgent responses or financial information to pay for things like “processing fees.” To learn more about this and other common scams and how to protect yourself from them, please visit sites such as the Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.org or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Call Centre at www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca
Disturbance / mischief
• On Jan. 9, police attended a disturbance at a business in the 5700 block of Teredo Street after a customer grew irate with the way his meal was being assembled. The customer, who felt he was being shortchanged, refused to accept his meal until the perceived shortage was rectified, but grew upset when staff helped other clients first. The customer then picked up the food and threw it at one of the staff. Fortunately, the staff member was uninjured but the client was asked to leave and take up his concerns with the business owner at another time.
• On Jan. 10, a resident in the 400 block of Aldersprings Road, Gibsons, reported a vandal had punctured tires on a vehicle parked on the property. No other damage to property was reported.
