Port Alberni’s RCMP department was kept busy during the weekend with an inordinate number of calls between Friday night May 11 and Monday morning May 14.
“We were super busy,” media liaison officer Cpl. Amelia Hayden said. “We had 94 calls for service.”
Calls ranged from thefts to car accidents.
Railway crossing lights activated after wire theft
In the morning of Saturday, May 12, the Port Alberni RCMP were alerted to the continuous activation of the railway crossing lights on Johnston Road at Leslie Avenue.
Sometime overnight, someone appears to have stolen some copper wiring from the railway signals which in turn appears to have caused the lights to run continuously. Motorists are still reminded to stop, look and listen before crossing train tracks when the signals are activated.
Clergy’s wallet stolen during Mother’s Day service
A local pastor had their wallet stolen while they were conducting a Mother’s Day service at a local church.
The suspect then proceeded to use one of the stolen credit cards to make a few separate purchases at a local shop on Third Avenue, Cpl. Hayden said. The police investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information on the theft or the use of the stolen credit card is asked to contact the Port Alberni RCMP at 250-723-2424 or Alberni Valley Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
Alert neighbour stops would-be thief
Early Sunday morning, May 13, an alert neighbour foiled a would-be thief, sending him running.
At approx. 6:20 a.m., a neighbour in the 5100-block of Forrest Road observed a suspicious person enter her neighbour’s parked vehicle then try to steal a bicycle that had been left on the neighbour’s front lawn. The concerned citizen yelled out at the would-be thief, scaring him off.
The suspect dropped the stolen items he’d gathered, abandoned the bike and ran away towards Kitsuksis Dyke. Police were called and careful examination of the area found another bike that had been discarded nearby and had likely been stolen from someone else.
Residents are reminded to secure all property inside their home or garage as well as to lock vehicles, leaving nothing in plain sight. Lucky for this property owner, the alert neighbour was able to scare off the thief and the property was recovered.
Port Alberni residents are encouraged to join prevention programs like Block Watch to help protect themselves and their family against property crime. Not only are crime rates lessened in active Block Watch areas but eligible households may also receive a discount on their home insurance. For more information on the Block Watch program in Port Alberni, please email pablockwatch@gmail.com or call 778-421-3992 and leave a message or come by the Port Alberni RCMP Detachment.
Two vehicle crash on the Orange Bridge
On Sunday, May 13 at 6:50 p.m., Port Alberni RCMP responded to a two-vehicle crash on Pacific Rim Highway 4 on the Orange Bridge.
A westbound grey Nissan Frontier had been stopped in traffic while on the Orange Bridge just west of town, when a grey Honda Civic approached on the curved roadway leading on to the bridge deck. The driver of the Honda was unable to stop in time before colliding with the rear of the Nissan. Only the driver of the Honda suffered minor injuries and the vehicle was towed from the scene due to the damage sustained.