It is unfortunately a common police brief: a random tourist returns to his or her vehicle at Shannon Falls parking lot to find the rental car or motor home broken into and items stolen.
Squamish RCMP reports over the past six months show items stolen ranged from passports to $3,500 rings to cameras and computers.
“It is a bit of a fishing hole at the moment,” said Staff Sgt. Brian Cumming of Squamish RCMP, who added that the lot has been a target for the three years he has been in Squamish, but the area has seen a significant spike lately.
“Whether it is the shape and location of the parking lot or what, at Shannon Falls it seems to be the most targeted spot of all the ones.”
On Oct. 8, two Lower Mainland men were arrested and their 2006 Hummer H3 was seized after officers set up surveillance at the parking lot and witnessed what appeared to be a theft in progress, according to the staff sargeant. Cumming said the suspects are believed to be responsible for numerous other thefts from vehicles in recent weeks at Shannon Falls and other local tourist attractions.
But Cumming said while these arrests will put a dent in the number of break-ins at the falls, it won’t stop them completely.
“We have had a spike, and we have killed that spike,” he said. “But we have caught people before and they were not the same ones. No one is naïve enough to think one person is responsible for all these things.”
Cumming said there are limitations to all methods of deterrence when it comes to the break-ins, and the cost is a barrier.
“Who is going to pay for putting in high quality cameras that really get a good look, such a good look that you could identify a person or a real licence plate number?” he asked.
“There isn’t a silver bullet solution here, obviously, or we would have tried to implement it a long time ago…. I guess if the will was there, manning the park with park employees so they are actually in the parking lot and reminding people as they pull in to store their valuables and having a physical presence all the time, that would probably be a huge deterrent, but who is going to pay for that?”
Mayor Patricia Heintzman said Shannon Falls is under provincial jurisdiction.
“It is not technically under our municipal police forces’ mandate, it is the provincial police force, although obviously we want to make sure it is as safe as possible because we are inviting all these tourists to our town and we want to make sure they have a positive and happy experience here in Squamish.”
In response to a request for comment from BC Parks, The Squamish Chief received an emailed statement from the Ministry of Environment that referred to the recent arrest and listed the steps BC Parks has taken to quell the tide of break-ins.
“BC Parks has installed signage at its parking lots warning visitors that thefts can occur; BC Parks, its park operators and police patrol the lots when they can; park operators warn visitors when they witness them leaving valuables in their vehicles and provide information on how to avoid attracting thefts,” read the statement from the ministry.
Cumming said police officers patrol the parking lot, as does the Squamish Citizens on Patrol group.
Often, the vehicles targeted are rentals or motor homes.
“You arrive at Shannon Falls… especially if you are from a place that isn’t mountainous, and you are looking at these wondrous mountains and this majestic falls and you walk right past this sign that says ‘Protect your valuables,’ because you are staring up at the falls and not looking up at the sign.”
Cumming said more citizens on patrol – community volunteers who receive crime prevention guidance from the RCMP – would be a welcome help. To get involved, contact the Squamish Community Police Office at 38030 Cleveland Ave., 604-892-9213.
*Please note this story has been modified since it was first published to correct a typo in Mayor Heintzman's quote.
