Good Day Block Watch Captains, Co-Captains & Participants,
West Vancouver Police have responded to 230 calls for service since our February 27th update.
For updated crime alerts anytime click westvanpolice.ca/crime-alerts
Residential Break-ins
A difficult but important lesson this week on responding to a home alarm. A resident in the Chippendale/Finch Hill area was notified of an intrusion alarm at their home. The resident, headed home at the time and possibly concerned about a false alarm bylaw notice, asked the alarm company to delay notifying police. Unfortunately, the resident arrived home some 30 minutes later to confirm a break-in had occurred with jewelry & cash stolen. Suspects had likely fled long before police were called. An investigation is ongoing.
Contrast that with a King Georges Way area resident, a day later, who notified police immediately when a surveillance camera system alerted them to an in-progress break-in. Responding officers began tracking suspects with assistance of a Police K9 unit & Air One, the lower mainland police helicopter. One suspect was safely captured. An investigation is ongoing to confirm the identity of a second suspect. All stolen property was recovered.
The sooner police are notified of a break-in alarm, the greater chances are of finding suspects and reducing property loss. Regularly checking & servicing a security system can increase your confidence that any alarm is genuine and avoid unnecessary delay calling police. Attending a possible break-in yourself prior to police confirming safety of your property can put you at risk of encountering a suspect still committing the offence.
Thefts from Auto
A reminder to avoid leaving items of value in any vehicle being left unattended. We especially urge you to avoid leaving items in plain view. Our Crime Alerts this week include four Theft from Auto reports. Two were thefts from unlocked vehicles, one involved a suspect prying a rear door, the fourth was a reported theft of a vehicle license plate. Suspects are active across the North Shore, with our North Vancouver Block Watch partners sharing an alert this week regarding a recent surge in Theft from Auto offences reported in areas including Edgemont, Lower Lonsdale, and the Marine Drive Corridor.
Click Here To View An Alert Shared By North Vancouver Block Watch
Spring Break
School Spring Breaks are upon us. Before you depart for that long-awaited trip, take time to review & check home security. Is your alarm properly set? Have you arranged for family or a friend to check your home while you’re away, and clear any mail or delivery items? If you rely on a web-based alarm or camera system that sends alerts to your smart phone or tablet, bear in mind, you will not receive alerts if you are aboard a plane, ship or anywhere without internet connectivity. Consider having a family member or friend monitor your alerts while you are away.
March is Fraud Prevention Month
West Vancouver Police and Block Watch join policing partners across the country this month in a campaign urging all to understand & prevent Fraud. Fraud offences are persistent and frequently target vulnerable & Elderly persons. You are encouraged to share any Fraud Prevention information we bring you through Block Watch with your family & personal network.
Click Here For Fraud Prevention Information From The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
The Fake Invoice Scam
The email at left is one of over a half dozen different variations of a persistent scam attempt received at my police department work over the years, the ‘Fake Invoice’ scam. All claimed to be with a well-known computer anti-virus company. All claimed a new payment has already been processed for a product I know I did not purchase. That’s the bait, hoping to lure me to contact them to clarify I made no such order. If you take the bait, they will ask for personal information to “clear things up”. All the emails came from a variety of G-mail addresses with no resemblance to the actual company name. If you receive any version of this, you should immediately block the sender, delete the message, and enjoy the rest of your day.
If you see activity of concern, please don’t hesitate to call West Vancouver Police. Call 604-925-7300 for non-emergency matters. Call 9-1-1 in an emergency, including events that involve an immediate threat to a person or property or to report a substantive crime in progress.
For updated crime alerts between our weekly updates click westvanpolice.ca/crime-alerts.
Jeff Palmer
Block Watch & Operational Support Coordinator
West Vancouver Police
t: 604-925-7300
