RCMP Community Connection for the week of November 20 – 26

Welcome to the Mission RCMP Community Connection for the week of November 20 – 26, 2023

Here’s a snapshot of some of the work we did that week:

• Calls for service last week: 315
• Proactive patrols of identified hot spots: 30
• Curfew checks completed: 3

Calls of interest:

A Loss Prevention Officer (LPO) at a grocery store in Mission reported being threatened with a knife around 3:30 pm on November 23. The LPO observed a man in his 20s attempt to exit the store without paying for a bag of groceries. When the LPO confronted the male and took away the bag of stolen items, the man pulled out a knife and threatened to kill the LPO. Fortunately, the LPO was not injured. The man then fled on an electric bike. Police were not able to locate the man, and are still working to identify the offender through CCTV footage. If you can help to identify the suspect in the attached photo, please call Mission RCMP at 604-826-7161.

On November 21 at 2:30 am, police were notified of an alarm at a building supply store in Mission. Officers attended and located a 50-year-old man walking away from the store, and matching the description of the suspect that had been seen by security. The man initially provided a fake name and ID, but officers quickly surmised that the male was lying when the ID he produced was for a 30-year-old. The man eventually conceded his real name, which he had concealed because he had two warrants for his arrest out of Vancouver, in relation to possession of stolen property and dangerous driving. He was arrested and taken to Court.

On the afternoon of November 22, an employee at a business on Horne Street saw what appeared to be a man loading a handgun in the parking lot. This triggered a significant police response, however the male had since departed in a vehicle. Patrols continued, and police located the vehicle parked a short time later in the parking lot of a retail on Wren Street. Officers detained the vehicle’s occupants, and located a handgun-shaped lighter in the car. The occupants turned it over to police. This is an important reminder of the dangers of carrying any type of replica gun in public, as other members of the public and police likely can’t tell from a distance whether or not it’s a real firearm. Officers have to treat these situations as if it is a real firearm until confirmed otherwise.

An officer with Mission RCMP’s Traffic Services unit was on patrol on November 24, when he saw a motorcycle stopped in traffic with a license plate that revealed that the bike did not have an insurance. The officer approached the rider, who said he did not have insurance or a driver’s license. The officer arrested the rider, however he resisted arrest and tried to get away. The officer was eventually able to take the man into custody, and determined that he had an outstanding warrant for driving while prohibited. He was issued a court date for obstructing a peace officer and driving while prohibited, and his motorcycle was impounded.

A possible break and enter in-progress was reported on November 26, after a witness saw a female trying to get into the front door of a residence on 7th Avenue near Horne Street, while a male went around back to try to get in. Mission RCMP attended and located a man hiding in bushes on the property, who tried to flee but was quickly caught by officers. The female was found inside the residence, and was also taken into custody. The investigation is ongoing.

Ways to connect with Mission RCMP:

• Emergency: 911
• Non-emergency: 604-826-7161.
• Online crime reporting
• Keep up with more news on our Facebook page