A downtown businessperson is feeling frazzled after her car was nearly stolen from outside of her work Monday morning.
Lordco’s Geri Robertson pulled into work bright and early, as she does every day, and parked her vehicle behind the automotive distributor and retailer.
But when she went out on her lunch break at about 11 a.m., she noticed that her ‘98 Honda Accord’s triangular window in the backseat had been smashed in.
It was a rough start to a Monday, which only got worse when she went to start her car and noticed that her ignition was tampered with.
“That’s when I realized they didn’t just break in to go through my car, they broke in to steal my car,” she said Tuesday. “I was completely shocked. I’ve been parking in the same place for over two years now, and nothing has ever happened in that alley before.”
Robertson is no longer using her free parking spot in the employee parking area. Instead, she is choosing to pay for parking out front in the Cominco lot where she can see her car from her work window.
“That alley is a high traffic area because you can’t turn left off the highway, so you have to turn at the lights and go through the alley,” she added, surprised by the bold attempt.
As of late, there has been a slight rise in property crimes, particularly from Waneta to the Fruitvale area, according to Sgt. Darren Oelke of the Trail and Greater District Detachment. Reports in the past couple weeks include minor thefts, a couple stolen vehicles, and a some break and enters.
“Usually when we see a spike like this, it’s down to a single person or a small group of people responsible for them, in my experience anyway,” he said.
Several incidents have been reported this month, with the most recent occurring Monday night. A black Dodge was stolen from a residence on Highway 3B in Fruitvale and has yet to be recovered.
The majority of the thefts and break-ins appear to be occurring during the overnight hours. Police are urging the public to report any suspicious activities, person, or vehicles in their neighbourhoods. Trail detachment members and the Crime Reduction Team are aware of the incidents and are investigating.
Some Recent Property Crime:
July 6 – 2009 Yamaha motorcycle was stolen from a business on Old Waneta Road in Trail and recovered on the Antenna Trail in Montrose
July 9 – Break and enter to the Boy Scouts Camp on Scout Road in Fruitvale—appears someone was living in one of the cabins, nothing stolen
July 13 – Break and enter at the Tomatoes and Thyme Cafe on Old Waneta Road in Trail, cash stolen
July 17 – Ford F350 work truck stolen from a business on Old Waneta Road in Trail and recovered on Deer Road in Beaver Valley at the water tower
July 18 – 1991 Mazda 323 stolen from a residence on Christie Road in Beaver Falls and recovered in Lumby
July 20 – Break and Enter at Atco Lumber in Fruitvale, nothing stolen
July 22 – Someone damaged the Parking Ticket Dispenser at the Trail Airport on Hwy 22 in Waneta and stole cash
July 23 – 2001 Red Honda 250 cc dirt bike stolen from Railway Lane in Trail, not recovered
July 25 – Break and enter to a vacant residence on Beaver Street in Fruitvale, vacuum stolen
July 27 – Black 2013 Dodge 2500 BC Licence # HD4208 stolen from a residence on Hwy 3B Fruitvale, not recovered yet
Source: Trail and Greater District Detachment
