PATROL DIVISION
Month End Report
March 2011

Business Break and Enter

Police responded to a call just after 11:30 p.m. from a caller who stated that she just saw a male wearing dark clothes, riding his bicycle south on McBride Blvd, holding a computer with wire dangling, and then she noticed the broken window at the JIBC and called the police. During Patrol response, one officer noticed a make crouching behind a vehicle. This male matched the description and had a bicycle with him. The stolen lap top and numerous break in tools were located on the male who was promptly arrested. The suspect has a history of property crime. The suspect was held in custody for court, and then released the next day by the court on a recognizance. The accused is a 43 year old Surrey resident.

Impaired Driving

While on routine patrol on Church Street, a member observed a southbound Chrysler Neon collide head on at low speed with a northbound Royal City Taxi. The male driver immediately jumped into the back seat however he was quickly identified by the investigating officer. The male showed gross signs of Impairment so he was detained for Impaired Drivng and transported back to cells. The suspect refused to provide a sample and fell and struck the back of his head on a chair. There were no visible injuries however medical attention was requested which cleared him for cells. He was held in custody due to his level of intoxication.

Theft of Vehicle

A male suspect stole a truck in the 600 block of 12th street. The son of the registered owner was able to follow him briefly in his vehicle while calling 911. Police located the vehicle several minutes later as it drove past at a high rate of speed on 8th avenue and turned off onto 2nd Street. The stolen vehicle was then located abandoned on Sinclair Street and the investigating member located a male suspect a short distance away. The suspect was determined to be the driver of the stolen vehicle and he was held for court.

Assault

On Wednesday March 30th at approximately 4:00 p.m., a teenaged female was walking in the area of Ross Drive and Royal Avenue when she was assaulted by an unknown male. The victim reports that as she walked along the sidewalk the suspect approached her, grabbed the sweater that was around her waist and tried to pull her away from the sidewalk.

The victim responded by swinging her shopping bag and striking the male in the face. The suspect released his grip and the victim ran from the area. The direction of the suspect’s direction is unknown. At 1625 Hours, the victim contacted the New Westminster Police Service. Officers searched the area of the assault and attended the victim’s residence.

Suspect Description:

• Caucasian male 
• Thirty-thirty five years of age 
• 5’2 tall 
• 140 lbs. 
• Clean shaven, short hair, blue baseball cap, black sweat shirt.

The investigation continues. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Detective R. Boyd at 604-525-5411

Impaired Driving

Shortly before 0800 a.m., NWPS Communications Centre received a report of a male passed out in the driver's seat of his vehicle, which was stationary in the middle of the intersection of 6th Street and 6th Avenue. Members attended and located the vehicle and the driver. The vehicle was indeed in the middle of the intersection. The vehicle was noted to be in drive, and the only thing preventing it from moving was the passed out driver's foot on the brake pedal. The driver was obviously impaired, and he was subsequently detained for impaired driving and read the breath demand. The driver was returned to NWPS where he provided breath samples of 170 and 180. The driver was charged with Impaired Driving and Drive Over .08, in addition to being held in custody for two unrelated arrest warrants.

Assault with a Weapon

New Westminster Police received a call from the director of a nursing home in town. The complainant advised she was investigating an assault and wanted police to be aware of the incident. An 89 year old resident of the home, who is deaf and suffers from dementia, became confused and when he returned from the washroom at the nursing home, he entered the wrong room. Unfortunately, the 80 year old resident of this room, who also suffers from dementia, thought he was breaking into his room and subsequently struck him several times with his cane, causing him to sustain a golf ball size bruise on his head, as well as injuries on his forearms that resulted in over 10 stitches. However, due to the age of the males involved and the fact they both have suffer from dementia , it is unlikely that charges would be forwarded in this incident. The file is ongoing to complete the investigation and consult with crown counsel.

Hit and Run / Theft of Vehicle / Impaired Driver

At 10:38 p.m. the registered owner of vehicle called NWPS to report his 94 Honda Accord stolen from the Front Street Parkade. Shortly after this report was taken, this stolen vehicle drove through the front lawn and garden of a house in Queensboro. A team of members with Impact (Integrated Municipal Police Auto Crime Team) became involved and located the vehicle which was parked. Surveillance was maintained and the occupants (all quite intoxicated), exited the vehicle. One occupant fled on foot and the other three (including the driver) were apprehended. A perimeter was established with negative results for the outstanding male. The driver was charged with Impaired Driving, Hit and Run and PSP Under $5000. The remaining 2 passengers were also charged with PSP.

Aggravated Assault

At approximately 01:25 a.m, police received a request for assistance with a walk-thru of a rental hall as a party appeared to be getting out of control. The hall was being rented out for a private birthday party.

Shortly after receiving this call for service, several 911 calls began coming in stating there was a fight in front of the building. Several more calls came in now indicating there was a stabbing.
It appears a birthday party was taking place in the hall when unwelcomed guests from another school arrived and a fight erupted outside the main doors. From witness accounts, it appears the suspect used a broken glass or bottle and fled eastbound.

Upon police arrival, two males in their late teens/early 20s were found to have been slashed in the neck sustaining serious wounds. Witnesses were identified as the remainder of the hall emptied out, however further fights erupted in the area.

Due to heavy foot traffic, a K9 track was not done.

Witnesses were separated and transported to NWPS where they were interviewed and the suspect description was broadcasted to Transit Police.

While members were with the victims at RCH, two more victims arrived who were also slashed by the suspect.

At 02:30 a.m., Transit Police advised they had a male detained at Scott Rd fitting the suspect description with blood on his hands. The male was arrested and transported to NW Cells. As this suspect male also had a cut on his foot, ambulance attended cells and transported him for treatment.

Major Crime continues the investigation.

Operational Support Unit

OSU members continued to perform high-visibility mobile and foot patrols, street checks, and nuisance by-law enforcement throughout the city, with particular attention to the parks and downtown/uptown areas of New Westminster. The transition to the warmer and dryer spring weather conditions has increased the nuisance activity on the streets and in the parks. Some of the nuisance activity involved local youth during their spring break. OSU members again commenced patrols and enforcement of the nuisance areas on their mountain bikes.

OSU continued with the daily homeless patrols of the known hotspots with fewer homeless camps being located. The patrol watches wished to assist with the homeless patrols when OSU was not on-duty.

OSU continued to review all Theft from Auto files as part of a strategy to ensure any patterns or possible suspects may be quickly identified and apprehended. In addition, OSU members were deployed in plainclothes for a few evening shifts in an effort to reduce to number of TFA incidents.
OSU members assisted CNW By-law Enforcement Officers during inspections of unsightly properties or derelict residences occupied by squatters.

The OSU members continued to assist the local Probation Office by performing curfew/address checks on their clients and other clients residing in New Westminster. Numerous checks were performed throughout the month.

OSU members occasionally assisted the patrol watches with their call loads during busy portions of their shifts and during minimal shift strengths.