A 32-year-old male from Vancouver was arrested on suspicion of two counts of break and enter in the early hours of Tuesday morning, as well as for breaching an earlier condition to stay out of Whistler. More charges are being considered. The RCMP is investigating to see whether the same individual was responsible for a rash of thefts on the morning of Aug. 19.
The RCMP received a report at 3:44 a.m. on Aug. 24 that a break and enter was in progress at a ski and snowboard business in the village. The officers who were in the area responding to an alarm from another robbery attempt saw the male fleeing the scene.
They police gave chase and cornered the male in a forested area. They then called in the police dog team to track him down. The man spent all of Tuesday in custody before being taken to court in North Vancouver on Wednesday to answer his breach charges.
According to Staff Sergeant Steve LeClair, the RCMP are now investigating to see if the male was involved in a string of robberies reported on Aug. 19. The RCMP received the first call at 4:45 a.m. that six lockers on the 1400 block of Alpha Lake Road had been broken into. Several items were stolen, including stereos, barbecues, tools and other items stored by owners.
The individual was caught on a security camera, but no licence plate number was visible on the footage.
At 6 a.m. the RCMP received a report of two stolen Ultra Motor electric bikes valued at $3,300 each from a Whistler business's underground storage area and parking garage. Once again images of the thief were caught on video.
Finally, the RCMP received word at 7:22 a.m. that an alarm was tripped and that a break and enter was in progress at a restaurant on Main Street. The burgler used a tool to break into a wooden door and stole six dummy Remy cognac bottles he likely didn't realize were filled with water. He also stole two computer screens and towers valued at $2,000.
The RCMP are investigating the Aug. 19 cases separately, as well as the possibility that they could be related to each other - and to the attempted break-ins that were averted on Tuesday morning.
Banks targeted in fraud
A thief stole more than $30,000 from local banks last week in a scam that involved setting up accounts using a false name. The thief used bank machines to deposit fraudulent cheques and then withdrew the money.
The RCMP were alerted to the scam on Aug. 20, and immediately started an investigation. There are video stills of the individual, who is described as five-foot-five with Spanish or native features. He had a dark complexion, brown eyes and a distinctive haircut.
Bear killed with crossbow
The Pemberton RCMP answered a call just after 9 p.m. on Aug. 21, after residents on the 7400 block of Dogwood Street heard a strange cry from their backyard and discovered a dead black bear impaled with a crossbow bolt. The police followed the blood trail to a neighbouring yard, where the resident admitted to shooting the bear.
The Conservation Officer Service picked up the animal for disposal and is considering charges against the owner of the crossbow. It is not bow hunting season and there is nothing to suggest that the bear was causing problems.
This is the second instance of a bear being killed by a crossbow in Sea to Sky, after a bear was found dead near Function Junction several months ago. The Resort Municipality of Whistler is now considering a bylaw that would make it illegal to bowhunt within municipal boundaries.
Three arrested for breach of conditions
Bank fraud wasn't the only type of fraud taking place this week. At midnight on Aug. 22 a female checked into two village hotel rooms using a MasterCard gift card. Suspicious, the front desk employee checked on the card information and determined it was fake.
The RCMP were contacted and attended the rooms where they arrested a 35-year-old woman from Richmond, a 40-year-old female from Surrey and a 39-year-old male from Abbotsford for breach of an undertaking related to similar fraud charges. The 35 year old from Richmond who booked the rooms is also facing a charge of possession of stolen money, in this case the MasterCard gift cards. All three suspects are known to police.
Teen assaulted at house party
A local 17 year old was assaulted just after midnight on Friday (early Saturday) after barring four unknown people from crashing his house party, according to the RCMP.
The male asked them to leave and was attacked by four suspects, who then did some damage to a vehicle in the driveway.
The police got the call at 12:12 a.m. on Saturday morning from the Alpine Meadows subdivision. The suspects had left by the time the police arrived. They found the teenager with a bruised left eye and chipped tooth.
Woman charged for assaulting police officer
In the early morning hours of Aug. 19 the RCMP attended a noisy party at an apartment in Alpine Meadows. When they attended they heard breaking glass and what appeared to be a woman screaming.
They reached the house and discovered broken glass and blood, then entered the residence. A 20-year-old female became violent towards the police, spitting on one police officer and hitting another. She was arrested for assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest.
Nightclub over capacity
A routine check of nightclubs at 1:20 a.m. on Aug. 21 resulted in a charge of overcrowding, according to the RCMP. The establishment was 35 over the posted capacity, which resulted in the establishment receiving a licenced premise check that will be passed on to the liquor inspector. Penalties range from fines to forced closures to the loss of a liquor licence.
