Skaha Bluffs to see increased RCMP and volunteer patrols

PENTICTON – It’s going to be a lot tougher for thieves to vandalize vacationer's vehicles thanks to local RCMP and volunteer initiatives at Skaha Bluffs.

Penticton RCMP and Community Policing volunteers were up at the Skaha Bluffs parking lot today, August 7, conducting a patrol and placing auto crime prevention notices on vehicles in the lot.

Climbers Access Society of B.C. has complained about number of thefts from vehicles at the Skaha Bluffs parking lot, suggesting it was negatively impacting tourism.

“We’re also consulting with climbers and B.C. Parks in an attempt to find a solution together to the thefts up here,” RCMP Cpl. Don Wrigglesworth says. "We’ve heard the concerns expressed here at the bluffs. We’ll be making regular patrols and educating people as to how they can protect themselves.”

Community policing volunteer Nick Merluk says they were busy today placing check lists on vehicles in the parking lot.

“We’ve saved people a lot of money by reminding them of expired license plates, and reminding them to hide their valuables," Merluk says.

The checklists left on parking lot vehicles note such things as:
– anti-theft devices
– whether belongings are in plain sight
– if doors, windows or sunroofs were open
– expired permits

“We’re going to be conducting regular patrols of the bluffs," Merluk says.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.