Whistler fire department evacuated multiple residences on Sunday (Aug. 12) after bear spray was used on a hot tub in an attempt to deter black bears from being attracted to its lid.
RCMP Staff Sgt. Steve LeClair said several residents in the 4300 block of Casabella Crescent complained of breathing troubles prompting the evacuation.
“This appears to be bear spray sprayed on a hot tub cover in the area,” LeClair said.
He said the bear spray was used on the hot tub cover in an ill advised attempt to deter black bears, which have been said to be attracted to the covers as they have a similar smell to an ant hill or nest.
Charges laid in B&E and assault
A dispute between a landlord and his tenants ended violently Sunday at 2 a.m. when the police were called to a residence in Whistler.
LeClair said the male and female tenants awoke to the sound of somebody entering the residence and were subsequently assaulted in their bedroom doorway by a man in a black baseball cap and sunglasses.
The male tenant defended himself in the assault and was able to pull the sunglasses off and identify the suspect as their landlord.
“It appears this stems from a landlord tenant dispute,” LeClair said adding the Burnaby-man is facing charges and is under an order to have no contact with the victims.
Craigslist fraud being investigated
RCMP received a report of a fraud conducted through Craigslist on Friday (Aug. 10).
LeClair said the complainant came into the detachment after renting accommodation in Whistler over the online classified site for $570 from a Melissa White.
“He came up to Whistler, showed up at the house and realized he had been scammed as the owner of the condo was there and it had not rented it out,” he said adding police are investigating with the bank to which the money was transferred.
No charges for mistaken address
No charges were laid after a North Vancouver man entered the wrong house by mistake.
LeClair said on last Wednesday (Aug. 8) at 3:27 a.m. RCMP were called to a residence in the 5600 block of Alta Lake Road to a complaint of an unknown male asleep on a couch.
He said the 22-year-old was intoxicated at the time and did not know where he was. He was taken into custody and lodged in cells overnight but the complainant did not wish to pursue criminal charges.
“This is something that we have seen before,” said LeClair. “It is a situation where people have too much to drink and end up in another house.”
Hiker found
An overdue hiker was found last Thursday (Aug. 9) malnourished and near to where he began his backcountry trip two weeks earlier.
Staff Sgt. LeClair said the hiker was supposed to return on Monday (Aug. 6) and when he did not show up for work the next day was reported missing to Pemberton RCMP who were provided with his detailed itinerary.
The hiker was flown into Mount Sisyphus by helicopter on July 24 and along the way dropped food caches for the 92-kilometre trek.
Search and rescue crews located the 51-year-old Burnaby man not far from where he was dropped off and LeClair said he went into the backcountry with three days food and when he was unable to locate his first food cache he remained in that area.
“He was malnourished following that long period without food,” he said.
Washington teen charged after evading police
A 16-year-old Washington State youth driver is facing several serious charges including dangerous driving after he attempted to evade policy on Friday (Aug. 10).
LeClair said officers were advised of an altercation between a male and the occupants of a black Chevrolet Subaru at 2:40 a.m. and when police located and approached the vehicle on foot on Gateway Drive it took off.
“The driver of the vehicle immediately fled,” he said adding he went through two stoplights until he took off south on Highway 99.
LeClair said officers located the vehicle as it was turning north on Highway 99 from Panorama Drive and again it sped away going up to 120 km/h and at times driving in the wrong lane.
While police did not initiate a pursuit the vehicle was eventually located on Muirfield Drive with significant driver’s side damage and the teen was arrested.
The youth was driving his father’s vehicle but was not intoxicated at the time. He was lodged in cells to be held for a court appearance.
“I think maybe poor decision making contributed to his decision to flee from police.”
Meanwhile several bikes were stolen
More high-end mountain bikes were stolen in Whistler over the last week with several being taken from unlocked garages overnight.
Three bikes valued at $8,400 were reported stolen from a garage on Clifftop Lane on Wednesday morning.
LeClair said the bikes were last seen the previous evening at 8 p.m., the garage was unlocked at the time and nothing else was taken.
On Saturday (Aug. 11) two mountain bikes were reported stolen from a closed unlocked garage overnight in the 2700 block of Coyote Place. The three bikes and components that were taken are valued at $14,500.
Cops looking for males in connection to thefts
The RCMP is looking for two males in connection with several thefts from Riverside Campground last Friday.
LeClair said a backpack containing cosmetics, a toiletry bag, a bag with Korean passports and wallets and other personal items were taken from four sets of campers overnight.
Some of the items were found in the woods nearby and RCMP would like to speak with two males who were considered suspicious by one of the campers who had their belongings stolen.
They are described as being French Canadian and in their early 20s; one is Caucasian and was wearing a black Vancouver basketball jersey while the other was of unknown ethnicity.
