A 51-year-old man has been charged with break-and-enter believed to be connected to a “rash” of incidents in late March and early April.
The targets, according to Osoyoos RCMP, were largely recreational trailers and motorhomes on Lakeshore Drive in Osoyoos.
Scott Andrew Paquette was arrested after he was found in a recreational trailer on Lakeshore Drive. Just a little over two weeks later, on April 23, Paquette was convicted in court and sentenced to 120 days in jail and 18 months of probation.
However, since that arrest, it does not appear the trailer break-ins have come to a halt — last week, Osoyoos RCMP attended the Coast Hotel, where B.C. Wildfire Service personnel reported some compartments of a ministry vehicle were opened and items were stolen.
Osoyoos RCMP added it has been hearing multiple reports of phone and internet scams related to tax season.
The scams centre “around the victim being told they have a debt owed to a government agency and a warrant has been issued for their arrest.”
They are asked for personal information and told how to pay the debt to have the warrant pulled.
“The caller/fraudster often becomes threatening or uses coercive language. People are reminded not to provide any personal information and to not send money to these fraudsters.”
Police are also pointing to a second scam that has surfaced this week, involving a phone call that informs the intended victim that a loved one has been arrested. In order for them to be released, the caller says bail must be posted, often asking for personal and banking information.
Other times, they tell the intended victim to manually make a deposit into a bank account.
Again, the caller often becomes threatening.
“In one recent call, the fraudster used a phone spoofing app and called a victim, making it appear the call was from their relative’s phone, making the scam even more believable,” Osoyoos RCMP said in a media release.
“People are reminded that bail can be paid at your local courthouse, and in most cases your local police station. Again, if in doubt, call the police detachment directly for where the loved one is said to be held.”