Good Day Block Watch Captains, Co-Captains & Participants,

West Vancouver Police have responded to 278 calls for service since our April 11th Block Watch Crime Prevention Update.

Click Here For Updated West Vancouver Crime Alerts

Parks & Trailheads – Thefts from Auto

Among our Crime Alerts this week, files that indicate a seasonal risk is upon us.  As the weather improves, and more of us head for parks & trails, we urge you to be aware that thieves can & will target vehicles parked in popular recreation areas.  This past week, a resident enjoying a day of mountain biking on Cypress returned to his vehicle parked at roadside to discover a window smashed and valuables stolen from inside.

Meantime, residents whose day had included stops at parks returned home & noticed damage to the driver’s side lock. They then discovered cash & bank cards had been stolen from a wallet left in the glove box.  The advice offered about parking vehicles at home applies equally to vehicles left in busy public spaces.  You should avoid leaving valuables in any unattended vehicle, whether it is locked or not. 

Thieves also targeted several vehicles at a Cypress Mountain worksite, stealing one pickup truck, and tools from several other vehicles. Other Theft from Auto reports this week involved vehicles in residential areas left unlocked.

Fraud

Easily avoided telephone-based offences headline Fraud reports in this week’s Crime Alerts. In one report a resident received a phone call, with a suspect offering an opportunity to enter an online lottery, with a $50,000 prize. The victim complied with a request to forward payment for tickets by gift cards, before realizing a scam was in progress. 

In another report, a resident received a call from a suspect claiming to be security staff at their bank.  Unfortunately, the victim complied with a request to buy gift cards and transfer funds to test bank responses.

Anyone contacting you by way of an unexpected & unsolicited phone call, urging you to make a hasty decision should make you immediately suspicious. Anyone urging you to quickly complete an unexpected transaction and to pay through gift cards is a clear sign of a Fraud attempt in progress. You should disconnect such a call immediately.

Anytime 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 anytime click westvanpolice.ca/crime-alerts.  

Jeff Palmer

Block Watch & Operational Support Coordinator

West Vancouver Police

t: 604-925-7300