Break ins and attempted car thefts continued to keep Williams Lake RCMP busy, who during the weekend they responded to approximately 95 calls for service. In a press release, the RCMP highlighted some of the incidents.
Oct. 26
Police received a report at 1:10 a.m. that a vehicle owner had caught a male breaking into his truck parked at his residence on Proctor Street. The vehicle owner reported that after hitting the male with his hockey stick, the perpetrator fled toward Gustafson's Chrysler Jeep dealership on Broadway Avenue South. The perpetrator was described as being a native male wearing a black hoodie. Williams Lake RCMP patrolled the area and arrested a male in the area fitting the description. He was later released pending charges.
While police were conducting a stop check at the intersection of Western Avenue and Midnight Drive, at around 10:04 p.m., a pickup was observed heading north bound on Western Avenue at a high rate of speed. The driver finally noticed police signalling him to stop, and locked up the brakes, skidding through the intersection, failing to make the stop for the stop sign.
The driver looked toward the officers on duty and then drove off. The pickup was stopped a block away and the driver was arrested for failing to stop for the police. The driver had a strong odour of liquor on his breath, and was required to submit to a roadside alcohol test. The driver, also found to be prohibited from driving, was served a 90-day Immediate Roadside Prohibition as well as numerous violation tickets. The vehicle was impounded for 30 days.
Oct. 27
At 07:55 a.m. police responded to a report of a stolen vehicle on Mackenzie Avenue North. The owner stated that his green 1995 Jeep Cherokee was stolen out of the rear lot. Entry was gained through a broken latch on the hatch door between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. The vehicle was located minutes later by police in the back alley at the end of Edwards Drive. Police saw the ignition had been punched and noticed that tracks in the snow led to a residence on Mackenzie Avenue, where RCMP members were already dealing with a fight in progress. Follow-up investigation resulted in the arrest of a suspect. The matter is still under investigation.
Oct. 28
Police responded to a report at 10:07 p.m. that a male was robbed on Mackenzie Avenue and had a possible broken jaw. A highly intoxicated male was located lying on the sidewalk on Mackenzie Avenue, bleeding from his mouth and going into shock. The male was able to tell police that he was approached by another male whom he knew that demanded his hoody. When he refused, the perpetrator hit the victim several times in the face with an unknown object. The victim was transported to hospital by ambulance.
At 11 p.m. police received a call from a complainant stating that he came out of his residence located on 1st Avenue South, when he noticed a male closing the passenger side of his brown 1999 Toyota Corolla.
The owner of the vehicle and a friend chased after the Caucasian male who was wearing a black winter jacket and blue jeans. They chased the male across Mackenzie Avenue South next to the train station. They lost sight of the male, however, the perpetrator dropped several of the items that had been in the vehicle. The police are following up with the investigation.