By Sgt. Curtis Davis
Lytton RCMP responded to 71 calls for service from June 14 to July 3, including 13 traffic-related complaints.
Mutual assault
On June 14, a couple who were well-known to police were reported to have assaulted each other near the Stein Valley school. Statements were taken from witnesses, and both parties were located within days. The 31-year-old Lytton male was remanded in custody because of this and other matters, while the 27-year-old Lytton woman will appear in court in Lillooet on July 9.
Damage and thefts
On June 18–19 we received three complaints of damage to property and thefts, all during the early morning. On June 18 a pick-up truck forced the gate at the Kwoiek Hydro station near Kanaka Bar and stole a spool of cable. We are reviewing the recordings from the security cameras.
On June 19 the payment boxes at both Goldpan and Skihist Provincial Park sites were cut open, and small amounts of cash were stolen.
Motorcycle mishaps
We responded to two motorcycle crashes on Highway 8 south of Spences Bridge. The first, on June 21, occurred when a northbound motorcyclist, part of a larger group of riders, went off the edge of the pavement and lost control on the gravel. The 76-year-old Washington state resident suffered serious injuries, and was transported by ground ambulance to Merritt and then flown to Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops.
The second crash, on June 30, was the result of a motorcyclist striking a bighorn sheep. The rider, who was from Ashcroft, was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
All that glitters is not gold
On July 2, in front of the Scotiabank, a local resident was deceived by travelling scammers. Although details of the event are limited, it appears that the resident was approached by a man who claimed to be in desperate need of money and was willing to sell some gold jewellery at a marked discount. The local resident retrieved $280 from the ATM and received two rings and two necklaces.
It is unlikely that the items contain any gold, although a casual examination would suggest they do. We were recently advised that there have been 11 similar incidents throughout southeastern B.C. The old adage “If it looks too good to be true, it probably is” is still good advice.
Fire on the line
On July 3 we were contacted by CP Rail Police to tell us they had a fire on the rail line 18 kilometres south of Lytton. Officers attended the summit of Jackass Mountain and confirmed that a rail bridge crossing a creek on the west side of the Fraser River was on fire, and BC Wildfire Service dispatched two crews and two helicopters.
During the time the fire was observed, the helicopters dropped several buckets of water to quickly extinguish the fire. It is likely that travel on the CP line will be impacted.
New RCMP wheels
Also on July 3, Cst. Shane Mykyte from Traffic Service out of Ashcroft made a patrol in our area on his new RCMP motorcycle. He stopped in at the Lytton detachment to say hello, and we watched as many locals slowed down to look, or stopped for a photo of the new motorcycle parked in front of the detachment. You can expect to see this additional resource in the warmer months throughout the readership area.
If you have information about any Lytton and area crimes, contact the detachment at (250) 455-2225. If you wish to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
editorial@accjournal.ca
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