Nanaimo RCMP dealt with a variety of calls over the past week, which included attempted robberies and online scams to minor disturbances and property crime.
Some incidents were quickly resolved without major issues. Others highlighted the a ady can change quickly after a young woman watched her dad’s car crash.
Here’s a look at some of the more notable cases:
On September 20th, a man riding his scooter down Metal Drive encountered a stranger holding a knife who demanded that he hand it over.
Rather than stopping, the rider accelerated and sped away northbound, leaving the suspect, dressed in all black and carrying two bags, behind.
Police report that the suspect was last seen on foot near Starbucks.
On September 21st, frantic screams on Morgan Place made neighbours worried that something serious was happening.
In reality, a young woman had just seen her father’s vehicle roll backwards down a sloped driveway and crash into a retaining wall after she parked it.
Fire crews confirmed that the wall held up fine, but the vehicle wasn’t so lucky and had to be towed.
Online scams are still a problem in Nanaimo after a resident informed RCMP on September 22nd that they had been extorted for $75 by someone pretending to have hacked their Instagram account.
When the first payment didn’t go through, the victim sent more money, but the account stayed locked. Police advised the victim to stop paying, block the scammer, and notify their friends.
Around 3 a.m. on September 19th, a pickup truck was found crashed at Wellington and Leam Road. Police discovered the driver asleep in the back seat.
He wasn’t impaired but couldn’t explain how he ended up there. He left with his truck towed, a $598 ticket for no insurance, and a fine for driving without due care.
On September 24th, a caller reported four people inside her apartment. When police officers searched, they only found the caller and her roommate. The woman said she hadn’t slept in two days and was going through withdrawal.
She apologized for the mix-up.
Alongside these unusual incidents, police received a worried friend’s call that turned out to be nothing more than someone sleeping in. Officers dealt with two highly intoxicated people causing a scene outside the detachment. They sobered up enough to apologize.
Additionally, there was a vehicle break-in on Crace Street that cost a visitor their bright orange $800 Arcteryx jacket and a yellow Merrell backpack.
