FRIDAY JANUARY 30, 2015
CELEBRATE LITERACY
LIBRARY LITERACY EVENT
See LOCAL NEWS page 4
HOCKEY PLAY
A DAY WITH THE NITROS
COMMUNITY SNAPSHOT page 4
THE BULLETIN PROUDLY SERVING KIMBERLEY AND AREA SINCE 1932 | Vol. 83, Issue 21 | www.dailybulletin.ca
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Robbery leads to man hunt FOR THE BULLETIN
A combined effort by a number of detachments and units including a helicopter resulted in the arrest of four individuals believed to be involved in a break and enter. The incident started just before midnight on Jan 28 when Cranbrook RCMP received a report of an alarm at a local pawnshop. Upon attendance police found the gates open and a number of items missing. Video surveillance indicated at least three subjects wearing gloves and masks were involved. A short time later officers located two suspects at a local motel who were arrested in relation to the break in. While arresting the male and female, noise was heard coming from the bathroom. RCMP entered the bathroom and found the window was taken out and it appeared someone had exited through the window. Moments later a black VW Jetta was seen leaving from behind the motel. The vehicle took off at a high rate of speed toward Fernie. Officers conducted patrols toward Fernie, when they observed the suspect vehicle coming towards them 177km per hour. Officers activated their emergency equipment in an attempt to stop the vehicle; it did not stop and in fact sped up. Police Dog Services attended and deployed the spike belt on highway 3, just east of Cranbrook, the suspect Jetta managed to evade the belt and continued into Cranbrook. A second RCMP member at-
tempted to stop the vehicle but again the vehicle managed to maneuver around the police vehicle. Due to safety concerns the pursuit was terminated as the vehicle continued at a high rate of speed down the Cranbrook strip, running red lights. Extensive patrols failed to locate the black Jetta. Later in the morning the black VW Jetta was found abandon, which had been stolen out of Alberta, in the Southview area of Cranbrook. Area residents alerted police to two suspects seen in the area. Police converged on the area and were able to locate and arrest one subject. Extensive patrols failed to locate the second subject and police asked residents to be vigilant and call 911 if the subject was seen. Shortly after noon a resident contacted police when he observed a suspect fitting the descripting checking vehicles. Police headed to the area and while on route noted a grey Ford Pickup leaving the area with the suspect driving. Emergency equipment was activated but the driver failed to stop. Due the erratic driving behavior police did not pursue the suspect but attempted to monitor its location using unmarked units. Numerous units were dispatched to parts of Cranbrook and highways to contain the area. A local helicopter was deployed and began searching the area. The stolen truck was seen traveling out of the Cranbrook on Gold Creek Road.
RCMP were searching Cranbrook’s Southview area Thursday for a third suspect in a pawn shop break in.
TREVOR CRAWLEY PHOTO
Affordable housing study C AROLYN GR ANT Bulletin Editor
The Kimberley Senior Projects Society has been trying for several years to proceed with an affordable housing project on the land owned by the Society on Church Avenue — specifically where the old Pioneer Lodges sit. They have appealed to Council, through Society Treasurer David Biggs, to renew a $2000 grant, previously awarded to the Society but never used. The grant is for an affordable housing needs assessment. See SUSPECTS, Page 3 The Society has been having conversa-
tions with Columbia Basin Trust and BC Housing about the potential for redeveloping the land. Biggs told Council that in order for BC Housing to move ahead there has to be a current study indicating need. The last formal assessment was done in 2008 and the Society’s last informal assessment was completed in 2012. The Society is proposing a telephone survey of between three and four hundred randomly selected households to poll opinions about affordable housing needs in Kimberley and to identify specific groups, such as seniors, single parents, people with disabili-
ties etc. who might be in need of affordable housing. Council agreed to provide the $2000, however, Coun. Kent Goodwin added the proviso that the Society make sure that BC Housing approves the methodology of the study so that it is valid in their eyes. Coun. Darryl Oakley commented that the study results may be interesting. “It could catch us by surprise. What was not a need ten years ago may be now.” Mayor Don McCormick said he would not surprised to see single mothers with kids join seniors as a sector being in need of affordable housing.