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Columbia Valley RCMP Report
By Sgt. Bob Vatamaniuck
The past week saw the Columbia Valley RCMP detachment receive about 60 calls for service. The majority of those were over the weekend as we recognized the population increase because of the Alberta Family Day long weekend. The following is a small sample of those calls.
Truck thief scooped at Fairmont
On February 14 at about 7 p.m. Columbia Valley RCMP was dispatched to Fairmont Hot Springs relating to some information surrounding a possible stolen pickup in the area. As police performed a patrol they found a Dodge Ram that was reported stolen out of Cochrane, Alberta.
As the investigation continued the RCMP found the culprit who was in possession of the truck and consequently arrested him for being in possession of property obtained by crime. The Alberta resident was brought to the RCMP detachment and held in custody as he was on conditions from another offence not to be away from home.
Local business used in fraud attempt
Around noon on February 16, Columbia Valley RCMP received a complaint of an attempted fraud by email. An unknown culprit was copying the likeness of the Kicking Horse Coffee website and sending correspondence to people requesting that they change and provide a new method of payment.
The incident was reported to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre for their information. RCMP always suggests that if you are ever approached to share financial information please make sure the website or company is legitimate; often there are customer service phone numbers where the updates can be completed over the phone or the websites confirmed. In this circumstance, when police attempted to locate the fraudulent website, it had already been removed.
Night spent in small but warm area
On February 18, at about 8 p.m. Columbia Valley RCMP received a report from an Invermere resident that his friend had consumed too much alcohol and was now causing a disturbance and threatening harm to those around him. The drunk friend had left the residence on foot and police responded immediately believing that the intoxicated male would likely return or continue to be a problem for other community members.
He was eventually located in the driveway of a residence a couple of blocks away hiding behind a parked vehicle. The male was clearly intoxicated and was subsequently arrested for being intoxicated in a public place and causing a disturbance. He was transported to the Columbia Valley RCMP detachment and given a place to be warm and safe and not cause any more issues. When he was released he was issued a fine for being intoxicated in a public place.
Missed it by that much
During the very early morning hours of February 19, Columbia Valley RCMP received a call of a disturbance in Invermere. The female complainant reported that there was an unknown male knocking at the back door of a residence and that she was not expecting anyone and somewhat scared. RCMP immediately attended to the above location and located the male at the back door of the residence. The young man was intoxicated and advised police that he was trying to get into his friend’s house to go to sleep for the night.
Once speaking with police he eventually realized that it was not his friend’s residence and the house he was supposed to be entering was next door. Members spoke with that homeowner who acknowledged that he knew the intoxicated man and furthermore he could stay at the house and get some sleep.
The drunk man was apologetic for his error and advised that he would not leave the residence once in bed.
– Sgt. Bob Vatamaniuck is commander of the Columbia Valley RCMP Detachment
