Among the many calls to police last week in Oak Bay, were several false alarms.
Several 911 “hang up” calls kept officers at the Oak Bay Police Department busy last week.
“We are always pleased when there isn’t a true emergency related to the misdial, pocket dial or hang up of a 911 call,” said Deputy Chief Mark Fisher in a news release. “However, these unintentional incidents use valuable time and resources of our 911 dispatchers and police services. Please refrain from letting your children ‘play’ with your cellphone and make sure your home screen is locked prior to placing your phone away or in your pocket.”
Anyone who inadvertently calls 911 should remain on the line and speak with a dispatcher so the lack of emergency can be confirmed by police.
Oak Bay police also responded to multiple reports of drivers and cyclists disobeying traffic control flaggers directing traffic along Beach Drive. Fortunately, none of these incidents resulted in harm to flaggers or members of the public. Police say one driver, who didn’t obey the flagger near the 2300-block of Beach Drive on Sept. 2, may find an officer on the doorstep soon to issue a violation ticket. The fine for disobeying a flag-person is $196.
Thanks to a Good Samaritan turning it in, Oak Bay police were able to return a purse to its owner after it was accidentally left at a local park.
On Sept. 3 around 7 p.m., Oak Bay police officers on patrol in the 2000-block of Oak Bay Avenue located a set of “nun chucks” (a prohibited weapon as described in the Criminal Code of Canada) in the common area of an apartment building. The weapon was seized and secured for disposal.
On Sept. 3 at 8 p.m., Oak Bay police responded to a mischief in progress at the 2900-block of Foul Bay Road. Witnesses said a man threw a rock through the front window of a home, uttered threats to the occupants and then fled in a van. The suspect was a 22-year-old Victoria man known to the occupants of the home and not considered a threat to the public. The suspect was located and arrested by Nanaimo RCMP on behalf of the Oak Bay Police Department on Sept. 6 in Nanaimo. The matter is still under investigation.
Anyone with information about these or any other crimes is asked to call Oak Bay police at 250-592-2424 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
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