The purpose of the Crime Beat is to educate and inform the public about some of the property crime trends occurring in South Delta and other files of interest. If you see anything occurring that you believe to be suspicious, call 911 for in-progress crimes and emergencies or 604-946-4411 for other assistance.
Tsawwassen
*July 14, Tsawwassen: The Delta Police Department received a report of identity theft where an unknown suspect had compromised the complainant’s identity and opened/applied for multiple credit cards, debit cards, and a phone plan. All service providers were notified of the fraud. The offence is still under investigation to identify the suspect.
*July 15, 300 block Rosehill Wynd: An adult Rocky Mountain 10-speed bicycle was left on the complainant’s lawn. The bike was recovered as abandoned property, serial number queried against the CPIC database and found not to be reported stolen or lost. The bike was lodged in DPD exhibits as found property.
*July 15, Tsawwassen: A complainant reported being contacted by an unknown person posing as a Telus employee. During the conversation, the complainant signed up for new services and provided an email address and credit card number. Shortly after the contact, the complainant felt uneasy about the transaction and contacted Telus directly and learned that the contact had not been from a Telus employee. The complainant was referred to TransUnion and Equifax for credit monitoring. Suspect identity not known.
*July 15, Tsawwassen Mills: Officers received a report of a dog in a car in 25 degree Celsius weather. All windows were rolled up. The dog was moving around the car, but was panting heavily and did not have access to water. The owner of the car was paged throughout the mall to return to their car. The owner returned to the car after conducting some personal shopping and was unaware of the severity of the situation. The owner was educated on the seriousness of heat exhaustion in animals. The file has been referred to Tsawwassen First Nation Bylaws for ticket issuance.
*July 14, Tsawwassen Commons: A store manager reported the theft of an air conditioning unit valued at $500. Two suspects exited the store carrying the air conditioner without making payment at the cashier station. Suspect one is described as a Caucasian female 40 years old, with brown hair, medium to large build, wearing a tank top that said “Fireball” on it. Suspect two is described as a Caucasian male, heavy build, with brown hair, wearing a black T-shirt that said “Hustlegang,” and blue shorts. The file is concluded pending the identity of the suspects.
*July 11, 200 block Murphy Dr.: A complainant reported an unknown person had altered his direct deposit information with his employer and redirected his pay cheque to an unknown account. The investigation has determined that the redirect was not an error with the bank and originated with the employer’s processes. The employer is working to track where and how the redirection occurred. File number provided to the complainant and the employer for insurance coverage purposes.
Ladner
*July 15, 4900 block 57th Ave.: Report of smoke in the air. The investigation determined smoke was originating from a backyard campfire contrary to the bylaw. Officers learned that a charcoal barbecue had been used for cooking, and then the homeowner put firewood on top of the charcoal to continue with their outdoor campfire experience. Delta Fire attended and the homeowner extinguished the fire.
*July 14, Ladner: A local restaurant manager reported a theft of patio umbrellas that occurred on July 8. The manager had reviewed surveillance video and learned that a Caucasian male arrived on a bicycle, broke into a storage shed and removed the patio umbrellas. The suspect is described as approx. 5’10” tall, with a medium build, wearing a grey Nike sweatshirt and Blundstone boots. Images disseminated for suspect identification.
*July 14, 5400 block Grove Ave.: The complainant reported an attempted theft of a catalytic converter from a truck. The suspects had only cut one end of the catalytic converter. No CCTV, no suspects known, and no witnesses. Damage estimated at $1,500.
*July 14, 8000 block Ladner Trunk Rd.: Attempted theft of excavator. An unknown suspect had moved the complainant’s excavator into a ditch; however, the suspect had not been able to move the excavator any further. The complainant also advised a suspicious vehicle with a punched ignition was also left in the area and appeared to be stuck in mud. Query determined the vehicle was on file as a stolen truck from Nanaimo. The truck was recovered and Nanaimo RCMP were notified of the recovery. Forensic Identification Services processed the truck, however, nothing suitable for ID was located.
*July 13, River Road West: The complainant notified DPD that the rear driver’s side window of the complainant’s car had been smashed. No reason known to the complainant why the window would get smashed. No CCTV, no witnesses. Suspect or motive not known.
