Incident report for Aug. 9 to 16
Stolen sailboat
• A 26 year-old male was arrested on the Sunshine Coast for stealing a sailboat from Deep Cove, and a paddleboard and accessories from a store in Deep Cove.
• On Aug. 13, a witness called police after seeing a family member’s sailboat entering Gibsons Harbour, knowing that the owner of the boat was not visiting the Sunshine Coast. Police apprehended the suspect and confirmed the boat was stolen. The suspect, who was travelling alone, was arrested for theft under $5,000 and possession of stolen property. The file is still under investigation.
Break and enter / Theft
• On the afternoon of Aug. 10, a thief gained access to an unsecured residence in the 5600 block of Osprey Street, Sechelt, and stole a number of women’s rings and necklaces. The file is under investigation.
• On Aug. 11, police attended a theft of wine from a business in the 900 block of Gibsons Way, Gibsons. The teen male suspect grabbed two bottles of wine and fled the scene. The file is still under investigation.
• On Aug. 12, police received two complaints of thefts from vehicles in Madeira Park. In the first, a thief gained access to several unlocked cars parked in the 5000 block of Johnstone Road and stole a wallet full of identification and credit cards, an iPod and iTrip converter. In the second report, a thief gained access to a vehicle parked in the 4800 block of Francis Peninsula Road through an open window and stole a brown Element brand wallet containing U.S. and Canadian cash, credit cards and identification. The owner has cancelled all his credit cards.
Frauds
• On Aug. 10, a Coast resident reported unauthorized withdrawals made on her bank account from an ATM in the U.S. Though the resident had not lost her debit card, she had used it at an ATM in Mexico, and it is believed her card and PIN information was skimmed at that time. The resident’s bank advised they are seeing an increase in this kind of fraud from clients who have recently travelled to Mexico.
• On Aug. 12, a Coast resident reported his credit card had thousands of dollars of fraudulent charges on it. The resident determined that his and his wife’s mail – including credit card statements and a passport application – had actually been redirected to another province by an unknown suspect. The resident has reported the incident to Equifax, Passport Canada, his banks, and to Canada Post, and all credit cards have been cancelled.
Impaired drivers
• Around 2 p.m. on Aug. 9, a witness reported a possible impaired driver westbound on Highway 101 near Field Road in Wilson Creek who was swerving all over the road and driving at inconsistent speeds. Police located the vehicle in Sechelt and pulled it over. The 40-year-old female driver, who was exhibiting clear signs of intoxication, was given and failed a roadside alcohol screening test. The driver was issued a 90-day immediate roadside prohibition and her vehicle was impounded for 30 days.
• Shortly before 1 a.m. on Aug. 15, police pulled over a vehicle that was driving without any lights on, northbound on North Road in Gibsons, The driver, who was emitting the odour of liquor, advised he had last had alcohol a couple of hours prior to driving. The 24-year-old male was given and failed a roadside alcohol screening test and was issued a 90-day immediate roadside prohibition and his vehicle was impounded for 30 days.
Hit and run
• On Aug. 10, police came upon a heavily damaged lamppost at the intersection of Sunnycrest Road and Gibsons Way, Gibsons. The post was knocked almost entirely over and was stopped from landing on the sidewalk by overhanging wires. A staff member of a nearby business advised he had heard a bang and then observed a semi-trailer truck driving towards another local business. The driver and truck were located and the driver, who admitted to hitting the pole, was issued a violation ticket for failing to remain at the scene of an accident.
Found property
• On Aug. 6, a child’s kayak was found drifting in the Sechelt Inlet in the Sandy Hook area. There was no other equipment found with the unmarked kayak, which does have a serial number.
