Total calls for service: 119
Thefts: 28
Assaults: 2
Impaired driving: 0
Mischief: 4
Break and enter: 3
November 13
Over the past week, several fraud complaints were received. The first report was from a Powell River resident who was contacted by a person stating they were from Service Canada and that his social insurance number had been compromised. He received directions to purchase Steam gift cards and provide those card numbers to the caller. The caller then advised there was a warrant out for his arrest and again was instructed to buy gift cards to cancel the warrant. The victim did as he was instructed and is now out several hundred dollars.
The next complaint involved a caller claiming to be from the victim’s banking institution; the victim was asked to download software and purchase gift cards in order to correct a transaction error and to meet a person at the local Save-On-Foods to transfer the gift cards. The victim downloaded the software, which wiped his hard drive. The victim did not attend the store to transfer the gift cards.
In another attempted fraud, a caller masked their phone number to display the Powell River RCMP number (604.485.6255), claimed to be the police and that they had a warrant for the victim’s arrest. The caller requested the last three numbers of their social insurance number, which the victim provided prior to hanging up.
Police are warning people not to trust their call display. Anyone who gets a call from someone claiming to represent a company or government agency should hang up and contact the number on their account statement, in the phone book or on a company or government agency’s website.
Government agencies do not take gift cards as forms of payment. For other ways to protect from becoming a victim of a fraud or learn about common scams, visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud website at antifraudcentre.ca.
November 7; Marine Avenue, 4600 block
At approximately 7:30 am, police were called to a break and enter to a business. The unknown suspect(s) broke the main entrance window to gain access and once inside stole an undisclosed amount of cash.
November 7; Highway 101
At approximately 12:30 am, a police officer on patrol on Highway 101 observed a vehicle travelling at a high rate of speed. The officer activated his radar unit and clocked the vehicle going 162 kilometres per hour in a 50 kilometres per hour zone. A traffic stop was conducted, which resulted in the 18-year-old male “N” driver receiving a violation ticket for excessive speeding with a fine amount of $483. The driver’s vehicle was impounded for seven days.
November 11; Barnet Street, 7000 block
At approximately 1:30 pm, police received a call about bicycle stolen from in front of Safeway. The bike, which was parked and unlocked in front of the store, is described as a full suspension electric bike, black and red in colour with full fenders and a green bag over the rear wheel. The bike is made by Focus, a German brand and is very unique to the area.
Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact Powell River RCMP at 604.485.6255, or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1.800.222.TIPS (8477) or online at bccrimestoppers.com.
