A Parksville Qualicum Beach resident made a report to police after being scammed out of $28,000, responding to a fraudulent job offer and depositing crypto currency with the fraudster on Jan. 15.
On Jan. 17, another resident reported being scammed out of $8,500 after responding to a phone call from a fraudster claiming to be from a bank and regarding information on a computer, with funds picked up by a courier in a parking lot.
During the week of Jan. 13 to Jan. 19, Oceanside RCMP received 200 complaints. Some of the other incidents included:
On Jan. 13, a parcel containing a bread maker was reported stolen from a porch in the 100 block of Sunningdale Road East in Qualicum Beach. The next day, a business break-and-enter was reported with a lock cut off a supply building and damaged video camera in the 100 block of Rupert Road in Qualicum Beach. The suspects fled in a pickup truck which was located by police on Jan. 16 and the driver was arrested and charged with various unrelated offences.
Vandals spray-painted property in the 100 block of Hirst Avenue East in Parksville on Jan. 14. The next day, B.C. plate PJ8273 was reported stolen form a vehicle in the 1100 block of Chatsworth Road in Qualicum Beach. On Jan. 16, a shovel and 10 walkie-talkies were reported stolen after a storage shed break-and-enter on Melrose Road in Qualicum Beach. The same day, a vehicle left running was reported stolen from a parking lot in the 800 block of Island Highway West in Parksville. The vehicle was recovered by Comox RCMP on Jan. 20.
On Jan. 19, a resident reported a suspicious bag on the ground which turned out to be methamphetamine in the 1300 block of Island Highway West in Parksville.
If you see a crime in progress phone 911. The Oceanside RCMP non-emergency number is 250-248-6111 and the detachment is located at 421 Pym Street North, Parksville, with public business hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, except holidays.
