When Trail City Works Manager, Larry Abenante checked his voice mail Monday night, he was not expecting the message left earlier in the day.
A fellow, who walks his dog up Violin Lake road each day, left a message about a burned out vehicle abandoned in the middle of the road.
“He let me know there was a vehicle right in the middle of the road. He walks there everyday, and it wasn’t there before Nov. 12,” said Abenante.
Abenante took a ride up to the site with the RCMP.
“Sure enough, there was a vehicle burned to a crisp. Luckily nothing else more serious happened.”
The vehicle was abandoned about half a mile past a heavy steel gate that belongs to Atco Lumber.
“It’s a really heavy duty gate to protect their property,” said Abenante.
“In fact, I had to get the keys from the fire department, just to gain access.”
“It is not our property, but I sent our crew up there with a loader to remove it, because the city still manages two water systems up there. We don’t have time to haul a vehicle from the middle of the road if we get a call to get up there,” he said.
This was one of four vehicles deserted on Violin Lake road since the summer, and the second that was completely destroyed, making it difficult to identify.
“We don’t normally see that around here, it could be a stolen vehicle taken for a joyride,” comment Sergeant Rob Hawton, of the Trail RCMP detachment.
Wednesday, Abenante received a call from the RCMP to go and retrieve a fifth vehicle.
“This truck was stolen from a lot in Genelle, and is now up Violin Lake road, hanging over a bank,” said Abenante.
After riding up to the area to investigate this fifth vehicle, Abenante is frustrated.
“There is more activity up there than people realize.”