South Delta crime beat, week of March 22

The purpose of the crime beat is to educate and inform the public about some of the property crime trends occurring in South Delta and other files of interest. It is submitted weekly by the Delta Police Department. If you see anything occurring that you believe to be suspicious, call 911 for in progress crimes and emergencies or 604-946-4411 for other assistance.

The following are some of the calls police responded to in the previous week:

Ladner

• March 23, 4:27 p.m., 4000-block Clarence Taylor Cres.: Complainant attended Delta Police headquarters to report a fraud. Investigation revealed that the complainant had provided his drivers’ licence number and his credit card information to a caller posing as a phone company employee. The complainant became suspicious of the caller and immediately cancelled his credit card and filed a report with the appropriate sources. No money was lost but police educated the male regarding phone scams and encouraged him to not provide any of his personal information over the phone.

• March 24, 10:17 a.m., 7500-block Highway 17: Police were conducting proactive controls when they observed a vehicle in the rear view mirror approaching at a high rate of speed — 112 km/h in an 80 km/h zone. The vehicle then passed the member at an increasing rate of speed — 128 km/h. Police conducted a traffic stop where the driver was issued an excessive speeding ticket and had their vehicle towed.

• March 25, 1:11 a.m., 5000-block Ladner Trunk Rd.: Employee of a nearby business requested that police attend the parking lot of their workplace while they closed the business and walked to their vehicle, as there was a suspicious person in the parking lot. Police attended but were unable to locate the suspicious person. Police remained on scene until the employee made it to their vehicle and cleared the parking lot.

• March 25, 8:07 p.m., 700-block Belgrave Way: Complainant reported multiple vehicles in a parking lot wrapped with “police” decals and having emergency lights. Police located the vehicles that were associated with the fake police cars in the area and a traffic stop was conducted. The parties advised that they were in the area for a video shoot and provided the phone number of who was in charge of the production. Police spoke to the producer on the phone, who agreed to meet police and the two “police” vehicles in question. The male advised that he was hired as a producer for a music video so they rented the two vehicles. Police explained that the vehicles could not be driven with the police decal exposed and the light bar activated. The vehicles were towed to their proper location.

Tsawwassen and Tsawwassen First Nation

• March 22, 4:17 p.m., 5600-block 28th Ave.: Police attended a motor vehicle incident with only one vehicle that went into the ditch. Police spoke with the driver, who admitted to consuming vodka prior to driving. Police could smell a distinct odour of liquor coming from the driver’s breath and the driver was slurring their words. Police read an approved screening device demand to the driver and they continued to bite, suck and purposefully attempt to delay providing a sample. Police clearly articulated how to appropriately provide a sample and the consequences of a refusal. The driver continued to suck or pretend to blow into the device and was unwilling to provide a sample. The driver was prohibited from driving, their drivers’ licence was seized and they were provided a 90-day immediate roadside prohibition as well as a 30-day vehicle impoundment.

• March 23, 10:28 p.m., 100-block 56th St.: Complainant reported observing a large tree branch and debris that had fallen on to the side of the road. Police attended and were able to move the debris to the side of the road.

• March 24, 9:12 a.m., 600-block Gilchrist Dr.: Complainant reported that a vehicle was parked contrary to the “No Parking” sign. The complainant was concerned that the vehicle was a hazard as it was blocking visibility of the crosswalk. Police knocked on the residence of the vehicle’s owner a number of times but there was no answer. Police went and knocked on the door to the basement suite to check for the owner of the vehicle but again there was no answer. As the officer went to walk back up the steps from the basement suite, he was confronted with a large barking dog and their owner. Police asked the owner if their dog was friendly and the owner replied, “Don’t touch him and he won’t bite you.” Police then asked the owner two times to put his dog on a leash, to which the owner replied, “No, this is my backyard.” As the dog continued to bark at him, the officer explained to the owner that it was also for his dog’s safety that he be put on a leash. The owner finally called his dog back up the steps and police safely exited the backyard. Police then spoke with the owner, who had been inside the main residence, and asked them to move her vehicle.

• March 27, 1:02 p.m., location withheld: Complainant reported that a young male had been trying door handles around their residence. The complainant advised that the male would attend residences and try the handle before proceeding to the next. The complainant further advised that she now had a flyer on her door handle. Police conducted area patrols for the male and attended the complainant’s residence. where she advised that she felt silly for making the call as she had a real-estate flyer left on her door handle. The complainant advised that she heard her door handle rattling before the male left. Police confirmed that houses up and down the block also had a flyer for a local real estate agent hung on their door handles. The female was advised and was thankful for the police response.

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