From a break-in to another complaint about the same suspect, an impaired driver and more, October calls to the Trail RCMP show no signs of slowing down.
Burglar
In the early hours of Saturday, Oct. 15, Trail police responded to a report of a man breaking into a business in the 1500 block of Bay Avenue in downtown Trail. The man allegedly smashed through the glass of the front door to gain access to the interior of the business. He then caused considered damage after attempting to break into an automated bank machine and two cash registers using a piece of wood. Officers quickly arrived on scene. They challenged the culprit, identified only as a 48-year old from Burton, who was holding what appeared to be a homemade spear and was still inside the business. When challenged to drop the spear, the man made an unsuccessful attempt to flee on foot. Officers pursued the suspect on foot and arrested him after a short scuffle. He was taken into custody briefly before being released on several conditions and pending a court appearance. Trail RCMP say they will be recommending criminal charges to provincial Crown counsel.
Suspicious person
On Monday, Oct. 17, around 8:00 a.m., the RCMP responded to a report of a suspicious man in the 1300 block of 3rd Avenue, in Trail. Officers located the 48-year-old Burton man nearby and conducted an investigation. Officers determined that he had not committed any offence but strange behaviour had drawn the attention from people in the vicinity. The man was asked not to return to the area.
“I commend the quick action, bravery, and cool heads of our officers who responded to the break-in at the downtown business,” Sgt. Mike Wicentowich said. “These officers put themselves at risk to arrest this man and maintain public safety. Trail RCMP notes it has been extremely difficult to find a solution to managing people who cause repeated police involved incidents in our downtown core and are without resources to return their own community,” he adds. “We will continue to work with local government and our partnering agencies to hopefully find a fair solution.”
Impaired driving
The afternoon of Sunday, Oct. 16, a Trail officer responded to a report of two men on motorcycles speeding and passing vehicles unsafely on Highway 22. The RCMP officer located the two men and their motorcycles in the 1100 block of Bay Avenue, in Trail. The officer conducted an investigation into one of the men, a 42-year-old Montrose man, who refused to provide his driver licence and insurance papers when requested. The officer arrested the man for obstructing a peace officer and took him into custody at the scene. At that point, the man decided to cooperate and provided the lawfully required information to the officer. During this interaction, the officer suspected the man’s ability to drive was impaired by alcohol. A demand was read to the man, who provided a sample of breath roadside that resulted in a fail. He was issued a 90-day Immediate Roadside Prohibition and his motorcycle is in impound for up to 30 days.
“Unfortunately, some motorcyclists give others a bad name due to their poor driving habits,” Wicentowich says. “Trail RCMP asks the public to report on incidents such as this one as they put everyone’s safety on the road at risk.”
Fraud warning
At noon on Sunday, Oct. 16, the RCMP received a report from a Trail woman, 34, who was defrauded out of $1,300 through a social media website. Police say the woman applied for a government grant after receiving a link through her social media account. She clicked on the link and provided her information online as she thought she was applying for a legitimate grant. She was then contacted by a person who informed her that she needed to send $1,300 in pre-paid credit cards to have her grant delivered. She purchased $1,300 in pre-paid credit cards and mailed them as instructed. The woman grew suspicious after she did not receive her grant. The victim reported the incident to the Trail RCMP once she realized that she was the victim of an online fraud.
“The woman received the link through one of her friends on social media,” Wicentowich said. “Unfortunately, she did not realize that her friend’s social media account had been compromised and the link was not actually from her friend. Trail RCMP advises to never send money or gift cards through the mail as it is impossible to trace, and recover.”
Vehicle collision
On Monday, Oct. 17 at 8:50 a.m., Trail police responded to a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Hanna Drive and Highway 22, near Rivervale. Upon attendance, the RCMP conducted a brief investigation. The drivers sustained minor injuries; however, police say neither required medical attention. The incident limited the flow of traffic until it was cleared off the highway.
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