A Parksville Qualicum Beach resident has reporting being bilked out of $160K by online scammers.
According to police, the resident reported losing the money in a sophisticated cryptocurrency fraud scheme on March 27. (More details to follow).The day before, another resident reported being scammed out of $500, responding to a hacked email requesting the purchase of a gift card.
The latest scams were among 231 complaints received by Oceanside RCMP the week of March 24 to March 30. The other incidents included:
On March 24, a vehicle was reported vandalized with damage to the ignition in the 400 block of Cottage Drive in Qualicum Beach. On March 26, a temporary fence was reportedly breached, with damage to a stored cargo trailer in the 2200 block of Bonnington Drive in Nanoose Bay. The same day, a vehicle was reported rummaged through with papers strewn about in the 2500 block of Andover Road in Nanoose Bay, on March 26. Another vehicle in the same area was also reported rummaged through with change a gift card missing; and two more vehicles were reported rummaged through with change missing. The day, another vehicle was reported rummaged through in the 2600 block of Andover Road.
On March 28, a store front window was reported smashed in the 600 block of Memorial Avenue in Qualicum Beach. Also March 28, two unlocked vehicles were rummaged through in the 2200 block of Sherritt Drive in Nanoose Bay, and a butterfly ornament was reported stolen from a property in the 700 block of Morningstar Close in Parksville.
Search-and-rescue equipment was reported stolen from a vehicle in the 600 block of Chinook Avenue in Parksville on March 29. The equipment was located by Nanaimo RCMP and Oceanside RCMP. Also March 29, a large battery charger and power tools valued at $1,500 were reported stolen in the 500 block of Hole In One Drive in Qualicum Beach.
A residential garage break-and-enter was reported with a Tall Boy carbon fibre bicycle noted stolen in the 600 block of Attenborough Street in Parksville, also on March 29. The same day, three courier packages were reported stolen from a front porch by a female in the 500 block of Doehle Avenue in Parksville .
If you see a crime in progress phone 911. The Oceanside RCMP non-emergency number is 250-248-6111 and the detachment is located at 421 Pym Street North, Parksville, with public business hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, except holidays.
