Good Day Block Watch Captains, Co-Captains & Participants,
West Vancouver Police have responded to 254 calls for service since our last Block Watch Crime Prevention Update.
Click Here For Updated West Vancouver Crime Alerts
Fraud Prevention Month
March is Fraud Prevention Month. Through Block Watch and our Community Services Team West Vancouver Police join partners in policing across the country in a focused campaign to arm you with information & awareness to protect against scams.
Fraud offences are persistent and frequently target the elderly. You are encouraged to share any Fraud Prevention information we bring you through Block Watch with your family & personal network. Attached this week is a pdf copy of a helpful publication, “The Little Black Book of Scams”.
Some attention to detail can go a long way to helping you recognize when a scam attempt has arrived on your phone or email inbox. See the sample below of a version of the Grandparent Scam/Fake Bail scam that was sent by text to one of our Block Captains this week. Along with the longstanding advice to discontinue & block any communication that looks like the Fake Bail scam, we can note that the suspects claimed the intended victim should contact a prominent local law firm by email.
We’re not including the firm’s name as it has no actual connection to this, however, a quick look online would tell you the law firm has its own website and does not use free Gmail addresses for communications. Email or website addresses that don’t quite match who a suspect is claiming to represent are among many notable signs an email or text is a scam attempt in progress. If you receive this kind of fraud pitch, do not respond. Contact family members directly yourself if you want to assure yourself of their wellbeing.
Our Community Services Team conducts regular Fraud Prevention Presentations in the community. Thank you to residents of Kiwanis Manor for inviting us to join their Tuesday Coffee Group this week to share information about Fraud & protecting yourself and loved ones against it.
If you would like to book a presentation for your community or social group, please don’t hesitate to email me at [email protected].
Please review all Fraud types with all members of your family, particularly with any elderly family members or others who may be especially vulnerable.
Click Here For Fraud Prevention Information From The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
Break & Enter
A family in the Highland/Eyremount area of the British Properties away overnight returned to find a ground floor sliding door had been pried open. No alarm was triggered. Cash, jewelry, handbags were stolen.
Theft
Along with theft of a vehicle parked on a Folkestone area street, the vulnerability of vehicle side windows to quick entry by thieves on surfaced repeatedly again this week. Seven of ten Theft From Auto reports from across the District involved items stolen after suspects smashed through side windows. Two thefts were from vehicles left unlocked. The remaining report involved theft of a vehicle licence plate. We urge you as always to avoid leaving any valuables in an unattended vehicle, whether it is locked or not.
We Are Hiring
The West Vancouver Police Recruiting & Staff Development Team will be at Capilano University next Thursday, March 7th, 2024, from 10am to 1pm taking part in the ‘Jobs for U’ Employment Fair! If anyone in your family or social circle is thinking of a career in policing, our officers will be happy to meet them there to discuss opportunities with West Vancouver Police! For more information anytime about our recruiting & applicant selection process visit https://westvanpolice.ca/join-us/.
If you see any 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