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Vol. 64, Issue 41
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Other fire starts found in area of suspicious fire TREVOR CRAWLEY
A home in the Northwood Estate—above the Kinsmen Quad Ball Park—burned down Friday morning in a fire that police have determined was deliberately set. RCMP received the call at 5:30 a.m. and Fire and Emergency Services responded, removing four occupants from the balcony at the rear of the structure. With up to 16 firefighters and equipment working on the blaze, the fire was contained to the house of origin and is under control. During the on-scene investigation, police determined that there were multiple, other suspicious fire starts in the same residential area near the scene of the house fire that were deliberately set. Cranbrook RCMP Staff-Sergeant Dave Dubnyk expressed relief that no one was injured, and voiced the concern of all emergency responders about the possible tragic consequences of such a despicable act. Residents of the area who may have seen anything suspicious, or have information about the identity of those responsible are asked to contact the Cranbrook RCMP at 250-489-3471, or Crimestoppers at 250-489-8477.
BARRY COULTER PHOTOS
Trafficking charges jump in fourth quarter 2014 ARNE PETRYSHEN
Drug trafficking charges were up 52.8 per cent over the quarter in Cranbrook. In total there were 39 trafficking charges laid in the fourth quarter of 2014, compared to 20 in the same quarter of 2013. However, clearances of drug files fell 23.5 per cent, with 21 in 2014, and 17 in 2013. Sgt. Brendan McKenna, Operations Support NCO at the Cranbrook detachment presented the RCMP fourth quarter report at council on Monday, and noted that despite the lower clearance rates, the initial busts still help to get drugs off the streets. “The clearance rate is maybe not as high, but we’re still able to identify the people and interdict the drugs,” McKenna said. “At the very least when you’re investigating those crimes, even if you can’t get a conviction, if you seize the drugs you don’t have to give them back — they can be destroyed — and you’ve hampered their operations to some degree.”
See DRUG, Page 4
Nick Gilder and Sweeney Todd (top) and Loverboy took the stage Saturday night at Western Financial Place in Cranbrook like there was no where else in the world they’d rather be. Cranbrook’s Classic Rock Weekend proved to be a revue of some great hits and sounds of the 1980s, and intense rock experience for the sold-out crowd. See more in Tuesday’s Daily Townsman.