Streetcrime: PickPockets Amongst Us

Here's another 2 minute video capturing a sly pickpocketing scam that occurs on the streets. It's not unique to the Edmonds area, but with the influx of tourists in the summer, anyone who takes the skytrain or who simply enjoys a coffee on an outdoor patio may fall prey to this. Watch closely-it's pretty swift and takes less than 30 seconds to pull off.

Skytrain PickPockets

Here's a clever video from pickpockets at work in the London transit system. It gives you a real heads up as to how pickpockets work and hopefully will allow you to keep your senses on guard when you travel by skytrain. Don't say we didn't warn you :-)

Cat Burglars: The Long Stick Trick

Not all home invasions are of the smash-and-grab variety. Many "professional" cat burglars ply their trade to this day-and in our neighbourhood. Here's an amazing 5 minute video that highlights just how easy it is to get robbed 'silently' and how to protect yourself from this type of crime.

Grow Ops

Unfortunately, grow ops are a menace of particular concern to Greater Vancouver, and Burnaby sees its fair share too. The amazing thing is that many people have this misconcenption that grow ops are housed in homes far away from their neighbours, and run by druglords themselves.

On the contrary, grow ops have been found in the most respectable neighbourhoods in the city. Even upscale areas like Westwood Plateau have had grow ops amidst their affluence. And many of the residents living in grow ops are seemingly normal people. Familes with youngsters, married couples, etc. Sometimes these people are innocent victims of the grow op problem, renting a floor in a home that houses a grow op in the basement suite. Other times they receive reduced rent for living in a grow op, whereby they live on one floor and the grow op occurs on another floor. Their role is to simply provide a lived in, family look to the home.

Since we want to keep Edmonds as safe and trouble free as possible, especially as it develops and expands, here is a colourful look at what goes on inside a grow op, and the hazards grow ops pose to our neighbourhood.
http://www.collingwoodcpc.com/growbusters-gallery2004.htm

Hopefully these pictures drive home the importance of keeping ourselves aware of the crime out there so that we can recognize it and report it. Only then will it go away.

Crystal Meth

Recently, a fairly large drug lab was shut down on 7900 block of Nelson Street by the RCMP. It was discovered by city workers who became suspicious when they saw steam coming out of the manholes.

The Collingwood Community Policing Centre in Vancouver has developed a Methamphetamine Lab Awareness Program. The following article comes courtesy of their fine research:

"There is a new drug menace in your community. It is called methamphetamine, and it is an illegal and very addictive drug. It is made in illegal laboratories hurriedly set up in bathrooms, basements, garages, as well as many other places in a home. By mixing common household products sold in stores throughout your city, the bad guys make methamphetamine. Mixed together, household products can become explosive and/or give off toxic fumes that attack mucous membranes, skin, eyes, and the respiratory tract. Innocent people including children have died when methamphetamine labs have blown up in the past. The following is a list of ingredients commonly found in methamphetamines".
Dangerous Chemicals
Lithium
Red Phosphorus
Salt
Methanol
Sulfuric Acid
Ephedrine/Pseudoephedrine
Alcohol
Veterinarian Products

Common Products
Alkaline Batteries
Matches
Rock Salt
Car Fuel System Cleaners
Drain and Grease Cleaners
Sudafed
Paint Thinners
Allergy Products

You Can Make A Difference.

"Drug dealers and methamphetamine manufactures have common habits that are easily observed. Alone, any of these activities or signs may not mean that drug dealing or methamphetamine manufacturing is occurring. However, some or several of them happening together may indicate a problem. The following is a list of common occurrences of tell-tale signs to look for:

Frequent visitors at all times of the day or night.

Frequent, late night activity.

Windows blackened out or curtains always drawn.

Visitors with expensive vehicles.

Unfriendly, appear secretive about their activities.

Watches cars suspiciously when they pass by.

Appears to be paranoid by exhibiting odd behaviour such as an extensive investment in home security.

Strange odours coming from house or garbage.

Garbage has numerous bottles and containers.

Setting out garbage in another neighbours' collection area.

If you find one, don't hesitate to call 911. If you suspect one, but aren't entirely sure, contact (604) 717-2935."

And just to keep you in the loop, here's the link for the Burnaby Now article on the recent drug lab found nearby Edmonds.

http://www.burnabynow.com/issues07/012107/news/012107nn6.html

Anti-Graffiti Initiatives

Here at ECCW we are actively pursuing ways to eradicate our unsightly graffiti. Our research points to some interesting research on what works and what doesn't when it comes to graffiti.

The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) came up with a neat little way to combat some of their graffiti, and we're including the link to the full story from the Vancouver Courier article.

http://www.vancourier.com/issues04/053204/news/053204nn3.html

Hopefully the RCMP has a similar program or can work with us to develop an anti-graffiti task force. Interestingly, Det. Const. Valerie Spicer of the VPD reported in the Vancouver Courier that 'a police study in 2004 found taggers were caught 97 per cent of the time after residents called 911 to report them.'

So let's not hesitate to contact the police if we catch a criminal in the act. This is more effective in the long run, and much safer, than approaching them. Most people carry cell phones, and many people have camera phones, so if you see someone tagging our neighbourhood and can take a picture of them without them noticing, then by all means do so, but we can't stress enough that our safety comes first, so please no vigilantism. 911 is our best defense.

On an end note, many people have noticed that much of our graffiti mentions "KBIZ". If anyone knows (or has a hunch) who this might be, we are interested in hearing from you. You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). The last thing we want is a gang laying claim to our neighbourhood. Perhaps this person or group of people enjoys bragging about their graffiti, in which case perhaps you or your teenagers may have heard about it. We will pursue all leads and guarantee your anonymity, so please don't hesitate to step forward and help us keep the Edmonds community safe. Cheers.

Graffiti

Graffiti abound in the Edmonds neighbourhood and we're included some shots to give you an idea of what we are up against. These pictures are in the Byrne Creek and Ron McLean parks, as well as in the vicinity of the Edmonds skytrain station and surrounding trails. Of primary concern is our nemesis "KBIZ". Note that much of the graffiti in our neighbourhood is tagged with the KBIZ logo. Who (or what) KBIZ is and why he/they choose to deface our beautiful community is an issue that we are taking seriously.

Our goal is to eradicate the graffit, which we do not consider art, within 24-48 hours of it being reported. So it you see any graffiti, please be sure to contact us so that we can keep track of the hot spots. Perhaps you can even help us whitewash it. Sooner or later these criminals will get the message that they are not wanted in the Edmonds community.

Again, we can be reached at bby-eccw@hotmail.com

Thank you all for your help and support!