West Vancouver Police have arrested a man at Park Royal Mall after officers found him carrying suspected stolen knives, despite a court order prohibiting him from possessing them. In their weekly newsletter, West Vancouver Police noted they arrested the man without incident and will recommend charges.
Since last week, police received 17 shoplifting reports—16 from Park Royal Mall and one from the Ambleside area. Suspects have been identified or arrested in seven of the cases. In a separate incident, personal items, including house keys, were stolen from a vehicle parked outside a residence in Ambleside.
Police also warn residents about a surge in fraud cases involving impersonation scams and identity theft.
In two separate incidents, residents received messages on chat apps from fraudsters claiming to be their adult children. The scammers asked for money, citing phone issues or urgent expenses, and victims transferred funds before realizing the deception. In one case, the suspect deleted all messages immediately after receiving the transfer.
Another resident was duped by an offer to post items for sale online. The victim provided banking information and later discovered unauthorized withdrawals. In a more elaborate scam, a fraudster pretending to be a government official told a resident their Social Insurance Number had been compromised. The victim was convinced to transfer money to a cryptocurrency account for “safekeeping.”
West Vancouver Police continue to urge residents to be cautious with unsolicited messages and job offers, and to verify identities through trusted sources before sending money.
