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Olympic sign returned after camera found

Using a camera left at the scene the Whistler RCMP tracked down a 20-year-old Whistler female who stole the brushed metal sign from the inukshuk at the corner of Village Gate and Northlands Boulevard.

Using a camera left at the scene the Whistler RCMP tracked down a 20-year-old Whistler female who stole the brushed metal sign from the inukshuk at the corner of Village Gate and Northlands Boulevard.

The sign was discovered missing by municipal staff on Aug. 25, and reported to the RCMP on Aug. 29.

According to Staff Sergeant Steve LeClair, the suspect's camera contained several photos including one taken outside of a residence. The RCMP used a licence plate in the photo to find the housing complex, then showed other photos from the camera to someone who lived in the area. One of the neighbours recognized the camera's owner.

When the RCMP confronted the suspect on Sept. 3 she admitted to taking the sign one night, which was valued at $2,300. She had her friends dispose of the sign, which she told police was giving her "bad karma." The sign was recovered near Myrtle Philip school. It was covered in graffiti, including the words "I stole this," but municipal staff said they could remove the markings and restore the sign to its rightful place.

Given her lack of criminal record, remorse and assistance in retrieving the sign - as well as a letter expressing regret - the RCMP opted to charge her with a bylaw offence rather than a criminal one. For defacing park property she was fined $200.

 

Assault still under investigation

At 1:24 a.m. on Aug. 31 the RCMP received a report of an assault in front of a nightclub in the village. When they attended they found a young local male with a head injury and lost tooth. He was taken to the Whistler Health Care Centre by ambulance and later released.

According to the RCMP's investigation, the attacker was a friend of the victim and there was a girl involved in the dispute. The victim has so far declined to name the guilty person, but the RCMP are continuing to investigate the matter and will determine whether or not to lay charges with or without the consent of the victim - something the police do if they determine it's in the public interest.

 

Golf carts recovered after joyride

Sometime between 9 p.m. on Aug. 31 and 1 a.m. on Sept. 1, thieves broke into a golf cart storage in Whistler and took two vehicles. According to the police the thieves attempted to saw through the lock but broke out of the yard after driving one of the carts through the gate.

Two vehicles were recovered - one in the parking lot at Whistler Secondary School, and the other at the dog beach at Rainbow Park. One of the carts was damaged, likely the one used to push open the gates.

 

Employee arrested after credit card scam

A 30-year-old female from Whistler is facing charges of fraud over $5,000 after refunding approximately $8,000 onto a credit card.

The RCMP received the report at 12:40 p.m. on Sept. 1 for a store on Mountain Square. Both fraudulent transactions taking place the previous day.

An employee was immediately tapped as the likely suspect and the police attended the last known address of the woman. She was arrested and brought to the station, where she admitted her involvement in the fraud. It's not known whether any of the money refunded onto the credit card was spent.

 

Bike, property thefts continue

The RCMP received several new reports of bike thefts over the past week.

On Sept. 1 at 4:12 p.m. the police responded to a theft from Whitewater Drive in Cheakamus Crossing after a bike was taken from a parked vehicle. The theft occurred between 10:30 a.m. and 10:50 a.m. the previous day. The bike is described as a grey Norco Kompressor with 24-inch wheels and a value of $1,000.

At 8 p.m. on Aug. 29 the RCMP received a report from Pemberton where a bike was taken from a vehicle rack while the owner was in a fast food restaurant. The bike is described as a white Giant Reign X-0 with Fox 32 Talas forks and blue anodized components. The value is likely several thousand dollars.

At 1 p.m. on Sept. 2 a bike was reported stolen from outside a residence in the 2700 block of Cheakamus Way in Bayshores. The owner discovered that the lock had been cut on a black Cannondale, valued at $1,000.

On Sept. 6 at 5 p.m. the RCMP received a report that a green cruiser bike with white flames had been taken from a secure underground parking area in the village. The police believe the thief must have followed a vehicle into the garage, then taken the bike from the storage area.

So far this year over 80 bikes have been stolen in Whistler and Pemberton. Owners are being encouraged to bring their bikes inside and to always lock their bikes in public.

On Sept. 2 at 2:13 p.m. the police also received a report of a break-in at a metal storage container in the 8100 block of Cedar Spring Road in Alpine Meadows. The thief took two chainsaws, a Husqvarna valued at $1,000 and a Stihl valued at $200, as well as a bike trailer that was apparently used to carry away the saws.

 

Suspected plane crash

A Whistler resident called in what appeared to be a plane crash after he lost sight of a fixed wing plane that was flying low in the area around Wedge. After receiving the call at 4:50 p.m. on Sept. 4 the RCMP called a variety of sources to determine if a plane was missing. They verified no emergency location beacon was triggered. They brought in an RCMP helicopter the next day to search the area, and were satisfied that the plane must have left the valley safely.

 

Thief took cash

The RCMP received a report on Sept. 7 at 8:30 a.m. that a "large quantity" of cash was taken from a residence on Juniper Place in Pemberton between the hours of 6 a.m. on Sept. 6 and 1 a.m. on Sept. 7. The thief broke a window to gain entry.

The RCMP have collected several items from the scene and sent them to the RCMP's forensic identification section to search for fingerprints.

 

Drivers charged as impaired

On Sept. 4 at 4 a.m., the RCMP found a vehicle pulled over on Pemberton Portage Road between Pemberton and D'Arcy. They located the driver, who failed a roadside test and was brought into the Whistler detachment where she provided samples of .220 and .210, or more than twice the current legal limit. A 45-year-old from D'Arcy received a 24-hour suspension, a 90-day administrative driving prohibition, and is being charged with impaired driving and driving over 0.08.

At 2:28 a.m. on Sept. 5 the RCMP stopped a vehicle that was speeding southbound from Whistler at the Callaghan Valley Road turnoff. The driver failed the roadside test, and later provided two samples of .100. A 22-year-old from Mission is being charged.