Two men whom police believe stole a large brass propeller from a boat docked at Britannia Beach were arrested this week as they tried to drive away with the stolen item.
On Monday (Jan. 17) at around 11 a.m., Squamish RCMP responded to a report of a theft in progress at the Britannia Beach waterfront, but arrived to find that the alleged thieves had already departed.
Using a vehicle description and licence plate number provided by witnesses, police caught up with the vehicle as it drove south at Porteau Cove, with the propeller in plain view in the back seat. The person who initially reported the matter to police arrived at Porteau Cove and identified the propeller as stolen property.
The two males were arrested for theft under $5,000, RCMP Sgt. Murray Watt said in a statement. They were given a court date and released on a promise to appear in court.
The boat from which the propeller was stolen is owned by the Province and was in the care of the Ministry of Environment when the theft occurred, Watt said. It's believed that the thieves intended to sell the propeller as scrap metal, he said.
Two arrested
On Tuesday (Jan. 18) at 2:10 a.m., local police received a notification of a bait car activation in Dentville and located two males in the vehicle. They were arrested for theft over $5,000. When driver showed signs of impairment, a breath demand was made and he blew a "fail" on a roadside alcohol screening. The two were brought to the detachment and, after they were sober, were released on a promise to appear in court, Watt said.
Vehicle impounded
Last Tuesday (Jan. 11) at 9:05 p.m., a police officer on patrol saw a vehicle fail to stop for a stop sign in Brackendale. The vehicle was stopped and a review of the vehicle's history showed that it had previously been ordered by police to undergo a mechanical safety inspection.
The officer informed the driver that the vehicle was being removed from the road immediately and that he was going to be ticketed for failing to comply with an order, which carries a fine of $598. The driver then became aggressive and a second police officer was called in. The driver was also ticketed for failing to produce a driver's licence and the vehicle was impounded at the owner's expense, Watt said.
Driver prohibited
On Friday (Jan. 14), a minor two-vehicle collision occurred at Clarke Drive and Highway 99. The drivers spoke and determined that each was OK, but when one driver returned to the vehicle to get insurance and vehicle registration to exchange information, the other had fled.
The driver at the scene was able to obtain the licence plate number of the other's vehicle, and police visited the second driver's residence. The driver was ticketed for following too closely. The Motor Vehicle Branch had also flagged the person to serve a driving prohibition, and a five-month prohibition was imposed, Watt said.
Two hurt in crash
On Thursday (Jan. 13) at 11:20 a.m., police and ambulance attended a head-on collision on Highway 99 just north of the salt sheds. The passenger and driver of one of the vehicles complained of chest pain due to bruising and were transported to Squamish General Hospital for treatment. Both vehicles sustained "considerable" damage and were towed away, Watt said. One driver was charged with failing to keep right.
Alleged assault probed
Police are investigating a report of a male who was allegedly assaulted with a baseball bat in an altercation in the alley behind Third Avenue on Monday (Jan. 17) at 2 a.m., Watt said. When police arrived, the male who had allegedly been assaulted fled the scene, but members stopped a vehicle leaving the area and found a male "well known to police" inside. They were unable to determine who had been assaulted, however, and are asking that the male contact them.
Gasoline stolen
Police are investigating the apparent theft of gasoline from five vehicles parked on a lot along Government Road in Brackendale. On Monday at 4 p.m., police responding to a complaint of such a theft arrived to find the fuel doors of all five vehicles open, Watt said.
