POLICE BEAT: An empty house is inviting to thieves
By Erin Perkins
One homeowner discovered that an empty house can be a target for criminals when they returned after a four month absence to find tools, liquor and jewelery missing from their home.
Grand Forks RCMP were called out to a home on 59th Avenue in Grand Forks on Wednesday, April 18 at 10:05 p.m.
The homeowner had been away for four months and hadn’t had anyone clear the driveway or check the house, said Grand Forks RCMP staff sergeant Jim Harrison.
“It’s a good idea to have somebody check in on your property when you’re out of town for any length of time,”said Harrison.
The home had been broken into and an undisclosed amount of liquor and jewelery had been stolen from the house. An out building had also been broken into and some tools had been stolen from the shop. Grand Forks RCMP are waiting for a complete inventory of all the stolen goods.
Because no one had been checking in on the property for the past four months, the case is very difficult for police to solve.
Unusual tools stolen from shed
Some heavy air tools unique to the railroad industry have been stolen from a tool shed near Interfor Sawmill around 68th Avenue in Grand Forks.
Grand Forks RCMP were called out to the shed on Thursday, April 19 at 4:06 p.m. when it had been discovered someone had cut the padlock on the shed with bolt cutters and then stole the equipment.
“The tools will be difficult to pawn off,” said Harrison. “They aren’t an everyday type of thing.”
Police have no witnesses or suspects at this time.
Padlocks are not a guarentee for keeping thieves at bay. Harrison advises using a case hardened steel padlock because it’s are harder to get into.
“It’s about slowing the criminals down and making it too much trouble to break into,” said Harrison. “Don’t make it look like Fort Knox though, or it looks like there is something to steal.”
He said easy targets that will attract little attention are the most attractive to criminals.
Deer killed, driver fine in early morning accident
A 37 year-old West Kelowna driver swerved to miss a deer and rolled his trailerless semi-tractor on Highway 3 between Christina Lake and Grand Forks at 5:23 a.m. on Monday, April 23.
The deer was killed despite the driver’s efforts. The driver was taken to Boundary Hospital in Grand Forks where he was later released with no injuries.
Golf Tourney still has room for more teams
The Terry Hamagami Scholarship Golf Tournament at Christina Lake Golf Course still has room for more teams for Saturday, May 5.
The annual event is sponsored by the Grand Forks RCMP, Christina Lake Golf Course and Terry’s mother, Nobi Hamagami of Christina Lake.
The event is named in Terry’s honour because he was an avid golfer whose life was ended adruptly in a tragic car accident more than a decade ago. Nobi is actively involved in the fundraiser and even supplies homemade sushi to all the participants during the dinner, said Harrison.
All proceeds go to the student bursaries for grads of Grand Forks Secondary School. Last year the tournament raised enough money for three $800 bursaries.
“The more money we raise, the more money we can give to students,” said Harrison.
The $75 entry fee per person includes a meal.
To register your team or yourself, please call the Grand Forks RCMP detachement at 250-442-8288
