A Vancouver man who was arrested in Squamish this week is facing charges related to the alleged theft of a motor vehicle and possession of a stolen bicycle that were reported missing from Whistler.
On Friday (Sept. 16) at around 7 a.m., Squamish RCMP responded to a report of a single-vehicle accident just north of the Culliton Creek Bridge on Highway 99 north of Squamish. The driver was reported to have left the vehicle and hitchhiked southward in possession of a mountain bike, RCMP Sgt. Wayne Pride said in a statement.
When police attended, they found that the vehicle involved in the crash had been stolen from Whistler.
Not long afterward, a police service dog officer in plainclothes was approached at the Squamish McDonald's by a man matching the description of the driver. The man was looking to hitch a ride, but realizing that his potential ride was a police officer, he attempted to flee. He was arrested shortly thereafter by the police officer and service dog, Pride said.
The Vancouver man, 32, is facing charges of theft of a motor vehicle and possession of a bike that was found at the McDonald's and is believed to have been stolen from Whistler. Subsequent investigation also connected the suspect to a burglary and the theft of items from another vehicle, with both of those incidents having occurred in Whistler.
Theft of copper wire
Last Wednesday (Sept. 14), police received a report that copper wire was being stolen from lamp poles in the 41000 block of Tantalus Road during the overnight hours. B.C. Hydro boxes had been pried open, and "a substantial" amount of wire was stolen, Pride. Such thefts are an ongoing concern in the Squamish area. Anyone with information about this or other incidents is urged to phone Squamish RCMP at (604) 892-6100 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
Business burglary
On Friday, a business in the 1500 block of Pemberton Avenue reported a burglary having occurred two days earlier. Entry was gained through the front door. Stolen was some aluminum material, miscellaneous personal items and vehicle keys.
Driver assaulted
On Friday, police arrested a 21-year-old Squamish man for allegedly assaulting a taxi driver. The driver had picked up the man in Garibaldi Highlands and during the drive, the two argued about the driving abilities and style of the driver. The argument escalated into a physical altercation. Police attended and the alleged assailant was arrested, Pride said.
Climbers rescued
On Tuesday (Sept. 20) at around 5 p.m., police received a call about a number of people stranded on a rock face in Alice Lake Provincial Park. A family had been trying some lower-level climbing when they found themselves unable to get down. Police and Squamish Fire Rescue Service officials attended, and fire officials were able to lower the climbers to safety.
