Sunshine Coast RCMP reported the following for the week of Feb. 21 to 28.
Suspicious Drone
On Feb. 27, at approximately 3:30 p.m., a witness reported a large drone hovering outside an apartment building in the 5700 block of Mermaid Street, Sechelt. The drone flew up and down the three-storey apartment, outside the residents’ windows, for about 25 minutes before the operator, who is described as a 60-something male driving a dark blue vehicle, took the drone and left the area. Anyone with any information about this suspicious incident is asked to contact RCMP, reference police file 2022-1402.
Extortion
On Feb. 23, a Coast resident reported being extorted by someone they met online. The resident advised they’d agreed to video chatting in the nude with the other party; during this exchange, the scammer recorded images of the resident and after the chat, threatened to send those images to friends and family unless the resident paid the scammer a large sum of money. The resident refused to pay the entire ransom, but did etransfer a small amount, after which the scammer released the images anyway. To learn more about navigating the internet safely, please visit sites such as Get Cyber Safe at www.getcybersafe.gc.ca/en.
Theft
On February 25, between 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., a suspect broke into a number of mailboxes located in the Sechelt Canada Post office in the 5500 block of Inlet Avenue, Sechelt. It appears the suspect used a screwdriver to pry the doors open and it is unknown at this time what has been stolen. A similar break-in occurred a few days earlier. Anyone with any information about this incident is asked to contact RCMP, reference police 2022-1353.
Between Feb. 17 and 20, a suspect gained entry to an unlocked vehicle parked in the 5500 block of Wharf Road, Sechelt, and stole several items including heavy duty jumper cables, a ratchet set, Bushnell binoculars, safety glasses, vehicle registration papers, and a brown leather wallet with the owner’s name engraved on it. Police remind the public to remove any valuables from the vehicle to deter any opportunistic thieves.
Impaired driving
On the afternoon of Feb. 26, a head-on collision occurred in the 1400 block of Highway 101 after the first vehicle crossed over into the on-coming lane and struck the second vehicle. While no life-threatening injuries were reported, the second vehicle driver was taken to Sechelt Hospital for assessment and treatment for minor injuries. Both vehicles sustained heavy damage and had to be towed from the scene. Police noted the driver of the first vehicle appeared to be intoxicated and was given a roadside alcohol screening test. After a fail result, the driver, who advised she’d consumed alcohol prior to driving, was arrested for impaired operation of a motor vehicle and transported to cells for further investigation. The driver was issued an administrative driving prohibition and released on documents to appear in court at a later date. The investigation is ongoing.
On Feb. 26, police witnessed a vehicle swerving in its lane, veering over both the fog line and centre lane multiple times, on Highway 101 near Veterans Road, Gibsons, and initiated a traffic stop. Police noted the driver exhibiting signs of intoxication from alcohol and attempted to give the driver a roadside alcohol screening test. The driver refused to provide a breath sample so was issued a 90-Day immediate roadside prohibition and his borrowed vehicle was impounded for 30 days. The matter has been referred to RoadSafetyBC.
In the early hours of Feb. 27, police witnessed a vehicle driving through the intersection on Gibsons Way at North Road, Gibsons, on a red light, and initiated a traffic stop. The driver, who advised he’d consumed alcohol a short time prior to driving, was given a roadside alcohol screening test. After a fail result, the driver was issued a 90 day immediate roadside prohibition, a violation ticket for fail to stop for a red light, and his vehicle was impounded for 30 days. The matter has been referred to RoadSafetyBC.
On the evening of Feb. 28, police witnessed a vehicle southbound on Highway 101 near Selma Park Road, Sechelt, swerving in its lane and braking for no apparent reason. Police initiated a traffic stop and noted the driver exhibiting signs of possible intoxication by alcohol. The driver, who advised she’d consumed alcohol shortly before driving, was given a roadside alcohol screening test. After a fail result, the driver was issued a 90-day immediate roadside prohibition and her vehicle was impounded for 30 days. The matter has been referred to RoadSafetyBC.
Fraud
On Feb. 22, a Coast resident reported a fraud after receiving a call from someone purporting to be from her telephone service provider. The scammer told the resident that she was eligible for a discounted rate and just needed to provide her credit card and personal information to receive it. The resident provided the requested information and received an email that appeared to come from the company confirming the discount rate change. The resident then realized an unauthorized charge had been made on her credit card. The resident then contacted her service provider directly and confirmed that the email and the discounted rate promotion were both fraudulent. To learn more about common scams and how to recognize the red flags, please visit sites such as the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca, the Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.org, or the Competition Bureau at www.competitionbureau.gc.ca where you may obtain a copy of the very helpful Little Black Book of Scams.
Break and enter
Early February 25, suspects gained entry to a shed in the 4600 block of Whitaker Road, Sechelt, and stole a generator that was still in its box. The suspects and their getaway vehicle were all captured on security camera video and police were able to identify the culprits. Police located the suspects and vehicle and recovered the stolen item which was still in the vehicle. The suspects were arrested for possession of stolen property as well as taking the suspect vehicle without consent of the registered owner. The file is still under investigation.
Property found
On Feb. 22, a very distinctive bike found on Trail Avenue near Marine Way, Sechelt, was turned in. Owner may claim within 90 days with detailed description. Please reference police file 2022-1224.
On Feb. 22, a woman’s ring found on the waterfront near Snickett Park, Sechelt, was turned in. Owner may claim within 90 days with detailed description. Please reference police file 2022-1224.
On Feb. 23, a set of keys for a domestic vehicle and some other items found behind a business in the 5500 block of Inlet Avenue, Sechelt, was turned in. Owner may claim within 90 days with detailed description. Please reference police file 2022-1278.
Reminder
The Online Crime Reporting (OCR) system is available for incidents that have occurred on the Sunshine Coast where you have lost, had stolen, or sustained property or vehicle damage that costs less than $5,000 to replace or repair. The OCR system is also appropriate for driving complaints that are not in progress. For complete details, please visit https://ocre-sielc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/sunshinecoast/en or enter Online Crime Reporting Sunshine Coast in your search engine.
