21601 replies to this topic

[pontcanna]

Man Arrested After Weapons Call

Date: Monday, June 12, 2023

File: #23-20649

Victoria, BC – Officers with the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team (GVERT) arrested a man after a weapons call on Friday afternoon.

Just before 12:30 p.m., on Friday, June 9, officers responded to a report that a man had threatened to shoot someone in the 1100-block of Pandora Avenue before leaving the area in a vehicle. Patrol, Strike Force and GVERT all responded.  

Officers located the man in a vehicle near the intersection of Tyee Road and Wilson Street, where he was arrested by the GVERT.  

 

CHEK

 

He was transported to VicPD cells and held for court.

If you have information about this incident and have yet to speak with officers, please call the VicPD Report Desk at (250) 995-7654 extension 1.  

[pontcanna]

Perp in white car takedown above is:

 

 

Born 1989. Looks like he got bail yesterday, back in court June 29. Nothing definitive on the usual social media pages.

 

Person with similar name and approximate age was sought by Quebec police on pimping charges, was arrested in Surrey in 2020 and taken back to La Belle Province.

 

[pontcanna]

A real mastermind - from Quadra Island RCMP weekly summary:

 

Erratic driver

 

On May 22nd, Quadra RCMP received a report of man driving a 2-stroke off road bike erratically on the South part of the Island. The bike was described as black with a go pro sticking off the middle of the helmet. This file was put in the weekly media release. Apparently, the media release upset the driver who emailed the officer in charge of the file that he was not driving recklessly and was upset about the allegations. The driver claimed that his uninsured bike was always being safely driven and he only used it for work. The driver, in his email, also provided his personal information. Police checks on the individual showed he had multiple warrants for Assault with a Weapon, Spousal Assault, Public Mischief, and multiple other charges. While proactively patrolling, officers located the man on his bike and arrested him for his outstanding warrants.

 

[pontcanna]

Driver arrested after fleeing from police and crashing vehicle

West Shore, BC Highway Patrol

2023-06-13 

File #2023-11315

On June 10 at approximately 11:00 p.m., the West Shore RCMP Traffic Unit alongside the BC Highway Patrol were conducting speed enforcement near the 3700 block of Sooke Rd in Metchosin.

Officers noted two vehicles were travelling west bound on the road at a high rate of speed and pulled over the vehicles. One vehicle stopped for police while the other, a 2019 Kia Forte travelling nearly double the speed limit, initially pulled over but then fled from officers.

In the process of speeding away the Kia Forte hit the BC Highway Patrol officer’s leg. Within minutes, police received a call that the Kia Forte had crashed into a cement barrier and landed in the ditch at Sooke Rd near Kangaroo Rd. The driver of the Kia Forte was arrested for Flight from Police, Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle and Proceeds of Crime as officers found a large amount of cash on the driver along with drug trafficking paraphernalia.

Inside the Kia Forte, officers noticed a dog who had been injured by the crash and was taken to the Veterinarian as it suffered a broken leg. The driver of the Kia Forte is identified as a 27-year-old Langford man who was released on an Undertaking with conditions to surrender his driver’s license, he was also issued a violation ticket under the Motor Vehicle Act for Excessive Speeding and the vehicle was impounded for 7 days.

Picture of Kia Forte after it was pulled out of the ditch:

 

The BC Highway Patrol Officer suffered minor injuries to their leg and is expected to recover. Traffic enforcement is an integral part of keeping communities safe. This incident was a close call for the officer and brings to light the dangers of policing, said Cpl. Nancy Saggar West Shore RCMP Media Relations Officer.

Released by

Cpl. Nancy Saggar
Media Relations Officer
West Shore RCMP

 

[pontcanna]

Police investigating suspicious car fire

North Cowichan/Duncan

2023-06-13 

File #2023-8479

The North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP is seeking public assistance in identifying a person of interest after a vehicle was discovered on fire.

On Wednesday, May 31, 2023 at approximately 8:30 p.m., police responded to a vehicle fire in the parking lot of Walmart located at 3020 Drinkwater Rd in Duncan, BC.

Upon review of video surveillance, a person of interest was seen exiting the store before getting into a truck and driving away during that time.

The person of interest is described as male between 40-50 years old, medium build, wearing a CAT brand baseball cap. The vehicle is possibly an older model GMC truck, blue/silver in colour with a silver headache rack.

 

Anyone with information is asked to contact North Cowichan Duncan RCMP at (250)-748-5522.

Released by

Cpl. Alex Bérubé
District Advisory NCO (Media Relations)
Island District

 

[pontcanna]

[pontcanna]

IMPAIRED DRIVER TRAVELS SEVERAL KILOMETRES ON THREE WHEELS BEFORE SPARKING A FIRE

June 13, 2023

A driver has been arrested and faces impaired driving charges after he drove his car on three wheels, which also sparked a small grass fire.

On Monday, June 12, 2023, at approximately 1 pm police responded to a report that a vehicle was travelling on West Saanich Road near Quadra Street that was missing a front wheel.

Officers attended and located the vehicle in the 4200 block of Glanford Avenue, which had come to a stop after the entire passenger-side wheel assembly had broken. The driver was arrested and transported back to the Saanich Police Department, where breath tests were obtained that showed he was almost two times over the legal limit.

The suspicious vehicle was first reported about 30 minutes prior in the 1400 block of Admirals Road in View Royal. The driver had somehow travelled several kilometres into Saanich on just three tires, but not without generating several calls to police along the way and sparking a small grass fire on the shoulder of Glanford Road.

 

Charges recommended by police include impaired operation of a motor vehicle and impaired driving over .08.

File #2023-10553

Cst. Markus Anastasiades
Public Information & Communications Officer

[pontcanna]

Update to suspicious person investigation

2023-06-14 

File #2023-9452 and #2023-11038

On Jun 8 2023, the West Shore RCMP published a media release with a photo of a male advising they were investigating a suspicious occurrence. Two reports had been made of the same individual partially clothed within view of nearby View Royal Elementary School. Police attended the area at the time the reports were received and conducted patrols but were unable to locate the individual on both occasions.

There were no reports of the individual approaching anyone, but considering the numerous past reports of indecent and other criminal acts taking place on the trail systems in the West Shore, police wanted to speak to the individual and determine he was not involved in any criminal activity.

 

As a result of the media release, the individual in the photo identified themselves to police and have since been cleared of any suspicious or criminal activity in the two reports referenced above.

We thank this individual for coming forward and being fully cooperative with police. West Shore RCMP will continue to investigate any such reports of suspicious or criminal activity taking place on the trail systems with the utmost diligence as the safety and security of our youth and citizens accessing the trail systems must take precedence.

Released by

Cpl. Nancy Saggar 
Media Relations Officer
West Shore RCMP

[Victoria Watcher]

^ Man wearing shorts is accused of criminality.

 

None such exists, RCMP apologize.

 

Clown world man in shorts episode.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 14 June 2023 - 02:40 PM.

[pontcanna]

IMPAIRED PASSENGER TURNED DRIVER FACING SEVERAL CHARGES

June 13, 2023

The passenger involved in an impaired driving investigation who fled from police and then crashed his truck is facing several criminal charges.

On Saturday, June 10, 2023, at approximately 10 pm, an officer with the Saanich Police Traffic Safety Unit conducted a traffic stop with a pickup truck in the 900 block of Nicholson Street to check the sobriety of the driver.

The officer noted that there was a passenger in the front seat of the truck who identified himself to police as the registered owner.

The officer formed grounds to demand a roadside breath test from the driver, which she subsequently failed. The officer then explained the impaired investigation process to both the driver and the owner, noting that the owner was becoming increasingly upset that his truck would face a 30-day impoundment.

Suddenly, the owner ran to the driver’s seat and sped off in his truck towards Quadra Street. One officer remained on scene while the other quickly left to stop the truck. As the officer turned his police vehicle onto Quadra Street, he saw that the truck had already crashed into a tree and a fence.

As the officer pulled up, the owner was seen running away from the truck and into a neighbouring yard.

Additional officers attended the area and located him in the backyard of a residence on Nicholson Street.

He was arrested and transported back to the Saanich Police Department, where breath tests determined that he was well over the legal limit of .08.

The initial driver received a 90-day Immediate Roadside Driving Prohibition and the truck, which was now likely damaged beyond repair, was impounded for 30 days

The owner, 30 years old, is facing recommended charges of impaired operation of a motor vehicle, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, and flight from police.

File #2023-10462

Cst. Markus Anastasiades
Public Information & Communications Officer

[pontcanna]

 

The 33-year-old estranged spouse accused of abducting her daughter in 2016 is facing extradition from Jersey after being found on a boat near St. Catherine.

 

Three years ago, a Canada-wide warrant was issued for the arrest of Lauren Etchells after she allegedly abducted her 19-month-old daughter Kaydance and boarded a flight out of Canada with her, Etchell’s new partner Marco van der Merwe and their newborn son Marcus. Police said this violated a court order intended to protect the rights of Kaydance and Kaydance’s other mother Tasha Brown.

 

https://www.cheknews...on-case-580601/

 

 

I was gonna say "she's home", but further checking shows that Victoria Court has entered a Stay of Proceedings on these charges...

 

 

 

British mum who fled Canada with her two kids after split 'ready to fight' extradition

Lauren Etchells is now on £10,000 bail and is battling a bid to extradite her to Canada. She denies child abduction charges following her break-up from former wife Tasha Brown

21 May 2022

A UK mum who fled from Canada with her two children after a split – then tried to smuggle them into Jersey in a dinghy – says she is ready to face an extradition battle.

Lauren Etchells, 36, is now on £10,000 bail and under electronic curfew in Humberside after her case hit headlines around the world.

She is battling a bid to extradite her to Canada and denies child abduction charges following her break-up from former wife Tasha Brown, 47, of Vancouver Island.

Lauren told the Sunday Mirror: “The children are just absolutely fine, happy and healthy. And I am ready to fight this.”

The ex-school teacher’s escapades began after a bitter split from Tasha in 2016. The couple had a 19-month-old daughter through a sperm donor – but Lauren then fell for a businessman and they had a son together. She flew from Canada to Gatwick in 2016 with both young children, sparking the Canadian police inquiry.

 

 

Then the family disappeared for three years until July 2019 when locals on Channel Island Jersey spotted Lauren with her children and her parents trying to land a 13ft dinghy on the shore after a voyage from France.

Lauren was arrested with her mum Angela and dad Brian, both 70, who had intended to drop their daughter and her children off.

“I turned myself in when I came to the UK. I am prepared to fight this."
 

More: https://www.mirror.c...da-two-27028101

[pontcanna]

West Shore Police Service Dog tracks down wanted man

2023-06-15

File #2021-17771

On June 14, the West Shore RCMP responded to a report of a wanted man who was spotted at a rural property near the 900 block of Neff Rd in Metchosin. West Shore RCMP frontline officers and Police Dog Services attended the rural property and attempted to arrest the wanted man who ran from police. Officers were familiar with the suspect who has a past history of fleeing with police.

Police Service Dog Kruze tracked the man through the property leading police to him, the wanted man was uncooperative with police direction and PDS Kruze was deployed resulting in minor injury to the wanted man who was taken to hospital to receive medical treatment before being brought back to West Shore RCMP.

Photo of Kruze:


 

Wanted man Layton Sterns (38-years-old), was arrested for outstanding unendorsed warrants for; Failure to Attend Court (Criminal Code) and, 2 counts of Driving while Prohibited (Motor Vehicle Act). Layton Sterns was held in custody to appear before the courts on June 15.

Kruze is a 5-year-old German Shepherd General Duty Police Service Dog. Along with tracking people and searching for evidence, he is trained in several other profiles including the ability to detect narcotics and firearms and is also trained in avalanche search and rescue.

Good job Kruze!

Released by

Cpl. Nancy Saggar
Media Relations Officer
West Shore RCMP

[pontcanna]

Saanich mother accused of fleeing to U.K. with daughter has abduction charges dropped

Jun. 15, 2023 

After a massive search spanning years and stretching across the globe, charges against the Saanich mother accused of abducting her child in 2016 have been dropped.

“The charges against Ms. Etchells were stayed on June 14, 2023 when the Crown Counsel with conduct of the matter concluded that the charge assessment standard was no longer met.” Dan McLaughlin with BC’s Prosecution Service said.

In 2016, 19-month-old Kaydence, daughter of Tasha Brown and Lauren Etchells disappeared from Saanich. Three years later, when Kaydence was four, she was found in Europe with Etchells.

 

 

“Over the course of these past three years we’ve tracked them through multiple countries over in Europe,” Sgt. Julie Fast from Saanich Police told CHEK News in 2019.

As of Wednesday, a possible end to the multi-year saga was filed to Victoria’s courthouse, with crown counsel choosing to drop the child abduction charges against Etchells.

BC’s Prosecution Service filed the stay by letter, saying only that “the charge assessment standard was no longer met,” meaning either crown couldn’t meet the conditions of a confident conviction, or that the case no longer served public interest.

There’s also the issue of extradition. Etchells was found and arrested in Jersey, a self-governing island with no extradition agreement with Canada.

Then there’s the family law perspective to factor in. Lawyer Michael Mulligan said what’s best for the child, not the parent, trumps everything.

CHEK News reached out to Brown and her lawyer for comment but received no response.

More: https://www.cheknews...ropped-1156594/

 

[pontcanna]

viccrimestop

 

Hey Greater Victoria

Sidney/ North Saanich RCMP are looking to identify this person, who is suspected of stealing luggage from the Victoria International Airport on April 29, 2023.

 

 

Police have been unable to identify him through other investigative means and are now asking for your help.

If you know who he is and you want to tell us anonymously, please call 1-800-222-8477 or visit www.victoriacrimestoppers.ca to submit a tip online.

File: #23-1986

 

[pontcanna]

Seizure bid for biker property where man was murdered

16 Jun 2023

 

KIM BOLAN 

The B.C. government wants convicted killer and Hells Angels associate Richard Alexander to hand over the Campbell River clubhouse where he killed a man in 2016.

 

Richard Alexander

 

The director of civil forfeiture has filed a statement of claim against Alexander, asking for a court order to seize the Devil’s Army clubhouse on Petersen Road.

Alexander was convicted in March this year of first-degree murder for killing mixed martial arts fighter Dillon Brown inside the clubhouse in March 2016, then leaving his body in the trunk of a car near Sayward.

Alexander, 68, has appealed his conviction.

The civil forfeiture lawsuit alleges that the Devil’s Army is a “puppet,” or support club, of the older Hells Angels and that both “are criminal organizations.”

“At all material times, R. Alexander has been a member of an organization comprised of more than three persons, inside or outside Canada, and which has as one of its main purposes, or main activities, the facilitation or commission of one or more serious offences.”

The director said the clubhouse “was not occupied as a permanent residence” but “was available for use and temporary occupation to members of the [Devil’s Army] and the [Hells Angels.]

“The property has been customized to impede access by law enforcement and rival groups,” the suit says. “On March 11, 2016, R. Alexander used the property to commit murder.”

The government move to seize a biker clubhouse is the fourth so far in the province.

“The clubhouses provided a safe space for members to commit or conspire to commit crime,” the February Hells Angels ruling said.

Not only has Alexander committed murder, but he is also guilty of membership in a criminal organization, money laundering and failure to declare taxable income, the lawsuit said.

No statement of defence has yet been filed.

 

More: https://vancouversun...an-was-murdered

 

 

[pontcanna]

Suspicious Fire Under Investigation 

 

Date: Friday, June 16, 2023 

 

File: #23-21571  

 

Victoria, BC – VicPD Major Crime Unit (MCU) detectives are investigating a suspicious fire that caused extensive damage to a restaurant early this morning. 

 

Officers and the Victoria Fire Department were called to the restaurant at the intersection of Douglas Street and Burnside Road just after 3 a.m. this morning.  

 

The fire remains under investigation. There are no known injuries at this time.  

 

If you have video of the incident or information about the fire and have yet to speak with an investigator, please call the VicPD Report Desk at (250) 995-7654 extension 1.  

 

[pontcanna]

Officers Looking For Owner(s) Of Indigenous Carvings and Masks 

 

Date: Friday, June 16, 2023 

 

File: #23-21449 

 

Victoria, BC – Just after 9:30 a.m. yesterday morning officers located several Indigenous carvings and masks while they were assisting Victoria Bylaw Services in the 900-block of Pandora Avenue. 

 

Officers believe they may have been stolen from a recent break and enter and they are looking to locate the owner(s). 

 

 

Officers ensured the items were handled in a culturally sensitive manner. 

 

If you have information about these masks, or if they belong to you, please call the Report Desk at (250)-995-7654 extension 1. 

 

[pontcanna]

Nanaimo teen in serious condition after ‘heinous’ attack with baseball bat

Jun. 18, 2023 

Barclay Kelly rushed from his Nanaimo yard Friday when he heard screaming — he was the first to help a badly injured boy who had just been attacked with a baseball bat.

“He was out cold like just gone,” said Kelly, a resident of Nanaimo’s Bruce Avenue.

“And then it came to when I was holding him, and then he freaked out, and I just let him know that I was here. I got your back, nobody’s gonna hurt you now,” he recalled.
 

 

Video of the violent incident at the corner of Bruce Avenue and Dundas Street just before 5 p.m. Friday quickly began circulating on social media. It shows what appears to be a teenage boy attacking another boy with a baseball bat before neighbours said the attacker fled on foot up Bruce Avenue.

“The thing that’s so sad about the video is how many vehicles were driving by, not helping him at all. And he’s getting hit when he was already down and couldn’t defend himself,” said Shekinah Campbell.

According to Nanaimo RCMP, the victim suffered extremely serious injuries but, fortunately, did wake up in hospital Saturday. Investigators with the Major Crimes Unit were actively investigating.
 

More: https://www.cheknews...ll-bat-1156980/

[pontcanna]

‘Pretty low crime’: Daughter of veteran wants her late father’s stolen war medals back
 

Jun. 18, 2023 

 

A 1939-45 Star, Air Crew Europe Star, Africa Star and Defence Medal were stolen from Barbara Cave's car on Sunday, June 18, 2023. The war medals belonged to Cave's dad, Flight Lt. Geoffrey Charles Cave, who passed away in 1987.

Victoria’s Barbara Cave has had a tough week — her work was destroyed by fire on Friday, and just days later, priceless war medals were stolen from her car.

Cave, who lives in the 600-block of Manchester Road, woke up Sunday morning to find her vehicle broken into. Moments later, she realized four honourary medals that belonged to her late veteran father were missing from the glove compartment.

Her dad, Flight Lt. Geoffrey Charles Cave, passed away in 1987, and the stolen memorabilia includes his 1939-45 Star, Air Crew Europe Star, Africa Star and Defence Medal. All three stars are gold, while the medal is round and silver.

But the prized collection, which Cave says is all she has left to remember him besides pictures and memories, isn’t completely missing because the thief left one medal behind.

They were stored in a box, which Cave found strewed across a seat in her car. She says her car’s doors were locked, so the thief forced their way in.

“I had taken them to show my class a while ago. I had forgotten that they were even in there,” she said.

“Why did they leave the box? I’m glad that they did. At least some stuff is left over, and the box is from the Air Ministry of London. I’m really glad that I still have that.”

The theft was another blow to Cave’s week after the school teacher’s summer workplace, Ricky’s All Day Grill on Douglas Street, was badly damaged in a fire that Victoria police deemed suspicious.

“These medals are the final F.U.”

More: https://www.cheknews...s-back-1156925/

[pontcanna]

Do You Recognize This Suspect?

Jun 19, 2023

File: #23-21263 

 

Victoria, BC – Investigators are asking for your assistance as they work to identify a suspect in a series of incidents that occurred in the early morning hours of June 14 in Fernwood. Images of the suspect were captured on video. 

 

 

At approximately 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 14, Patrol officers were called to a report that a man was prowling in front of a residence in the 2000-block of Chambers Street. An area resident told officers that the suspect threatened them when they spotted the suspect on private property and captured him on video. Officers attended minutes later but were unable to locate the suspect. 

 

Just before 5:30 a.m. that morning, officers were called to a multi-suite residence in the 1000-block of Princess Avenue – a short distance away. The caller reported seeing a man enter through a window into one of the suites. The caller’s description closely resembled the man from the earlier incident. Officers again arrived within minutes, but the suspect was not located. 

 

The suspect is described as a Caucasian man, approximately 35 years-old, standing five feet, ten inches tall with a slim build and short hair. He was wearing a black hoodie, black gloves and had a black, collapsible canvas wagon with him. Both still images and video footage of the suspect are included in our post on VicPD.ca If you recognize this suspect, have information about them or the incidents, or have video footage from the area, please call the VicPD Report Desk at (250) 995-7654 extension 1.

 

Video: https://www.youtube....h?v=BH-6yP6EQ-E