Weekly Media Release - Trail and Greater District RCMP - 2025-02-07

Oh snow he didn’t!

File # 2025-393/394/395

On Friday, January 31, 2025, at 5:35 a.m. a frontline Trail and Greater District officer received a report about the alleged theft of a truck with an attached snow plow from the 1300 block of Pine Avenue, in downtown Trail, BC. Witnesses reported that an unidentified man and woman had attempted to break into other vehicles parked in the area prior to the truck theft.

While patrolling for the stolen vehicle, the officer received reports about a 31-year-old Fruitvale man allegedly driving the stolen truck and offering plowing services to clients in Fruitvale. The officer believed that the man may have plowed up to three driveways in the time that he was allegedly in possession of the truck. The officer attended the man’s residence and located the stolen truck parked on the property. The officer found the man inside his residence and arrested him without incident. The officer took the man into custody and lodged him into the cellblock at the Trail Detachment. The stolen truck was seized and towed.

The man was later released pending further criminal investigation.

If you were offered plowing services by the 31-year-old Fruitvale man, or have any information or surveillance video, please contact the Trail Detachment at 250-364-2566 to speak to an investigator.

This man’s plan was clearly on thin ice from the start. Please remember to lock your vehicles and secure your keys, says Sgt. Wicentowich.

For tips to prevent auto theft, please visit the ICBC Autocrime prevention website.

Tractor trailers without traction in Trail area

File # 2025-398

On Friday, January 31, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. Trail and Greater District RCMP officers responded to several tractor trailer units that had become stuck in place on Highway 3 and 3B after attempting to drive up the steep sections of road in Montrose, Warfield, and Rossland, BC.

Officers noted that slippery and snowy road conditions was a factor that lead to many trucks getting stuck, as well as not be well prepared for the impending storm. In addition, several other motor vehicle incidents were occurring due, in part, to road conditions.

Most motor vehicle incidents are avoidable with proper preparation and driving to the conditions.

The steep hills in Montrose, Warfield, and Rossland are known to be difficult to travel during adverse winter conditions. The challenges and hazards faced by commercial truck drivers are known quantities on these sections of highway and may be able to be avoided.

Trail RCMP asks commercial truck drivers and companies to consider the following after receiving a snowfall warning:

• Keep track of the winter road conditions and warning available through the local road maintenance contractor YRB and BC government website.
• Consider diverting through the Castlegar bypass and completely avoid the Warfield/Rossland Hill during winter storms.
• Always obey the chain-up sign located on Rossland Avenue near the Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Hall before the Warfield/Rossland Hill. There is a pullout that can accommodate trucks who need to put on tire chains and wait until the road is plowed and sanded for better traction.
• Our local tow truck drivers are experts in towing commercial trucks off the road; however, limited in supply. A stalled truck can wait many hours to be towed off the highway. This causes major traffic issues for the rest of the motoring public.
• Good winter tires are a legal requirement on all winter passes in BC. Hefty fines can be issued for non-compliance.
• Failing to follow the law and regulations can resulted in hefty fines and costly tow bills.

For more information, please visit the ICBC winter driving website, ICBC road conditions website and the YRB - Kootenay Boundary Facebook page.

The horse, the witches, and police officer

File # 2025-414

On Saturday, February 1, 2025, at 1:21 a.m. a frontline Trail and Greater District RCMP officer received a report that twenty witches were dancing around a fire and there was a horse in a tree on a residential property in Fruitvale, BC.

The officer attended; however, did not locate even one witch or the tree horse.

Officer digs down to get to the root of the problem

File # 2024-429

On February 1, 2025 at a frontline Trail and Greater District RCMP officer received a report about a municipal plow truck allegedly being struck with a shovel by a 76-year-old Trail man in the 400 block of Olivia Crescent, in Trail, BC. The plow truck may have been damaged by the shovel strike.

The officer located the elderly man who allegedly admitted he was angry about the quality of plowing and made a mistake when he hit the truck with a shovel. The man believed his complaints about the way the municipality plowed snow in the street were not taken seriously.

The matter remains under investigation.

The man really dug himself a hole. I hope he can remember his dig-nity and buries the hatchet with the municipality in the future. says Sgt. Wicentowich.