The Canora/ Sturgis RCMP responded to 88 calls for service during the reporting period, some of which included: two traffic collisions, 69 traffic offences, one break and enter, three frauds, one impaired driver, one assault, three mischiefs, and one criminal harassment.
The Canora/Sturgis RCMP is looking for assistance with the following crime. On January 7, a farm yard in the Invermay RM was broken into and had several items stolen. The items of note are; a 10 piece three-eighths inch Mastercraft Hex driver set, a Milwaukee charger, an M18 Fuel Milwaukee half-inch impact wrench, an M18 Fuel Milwaukee half-inch hammer drill, an M18 Fuel quarter-inch Hex impact driver, an M18 Fuel four-and-one-half to five-inch cordless grinder, an M18 Redlithium 5.0 Battery, an M18 Redlithium 2.0 Battery, a 25-litre red Jerry can, and a 20-litre red Jerry can. Anyone with information regarding this event is asked to contact the Canora/Sturgis RCMP or Crimestoppers.
The Canora/Sturgis RCMP are investigating a break and enter to an abandoned farm property in the RM of Buchanan that occurred on December 2, 2019. The suspect(s) broke into several out buildings on the farm and siphoned fuel out of various machines located on the property. The suspect(s) were driving a dark four-door car (see photo).
On January 21 the Canora/ Sturgis RCMP responded to a complaint of a white SUV that hit the ditch near a construction area on Hwy No. 9 between Canora and Yorkton. Upon arrival RCMP determined that the driver was impaired by alcohol and was currently suspended from driving. The driver provided samples of his breath that confirmed he was intoxicated. The driver was charged with impaired driving and made his first court appearance on February 6.
On the February 1, Canora/ Sturgis RCMP and Preeceville ministry of environment made a joint snowmobile patrol, looking for unregistered, un-plated snowmobiles, and people not having their drivers license with them. Approximately 30 snowmobile operators were stopped and checked, with 20 of those operators issued warnings, sometimes for multiple violations. We would like to remind everyone to have their snowmobiles registered, plated, and to carry their drivers license with them when on public trails. RCMP Canora/Sturgis has recently acquired some new snowmobiles and will be making more patrols in the near future. The RCMP would also like to remind people to never drink alcohol and ride.
Warnings issued include:
- 16 warnings were given to people not having their snowmobiles registered
- 14 warnings were given for snowmobiles not having plates on them
- 12 warnings were issued to drivers not having valid driver’s licences
- 1 charge laid for having open alcohol on a snowmobile (Don’t drink and ride)
- 11 anglers were also checked while ice fishing.
On February 5, RCMP noticed a vehicle driving in Canora with a box on top of the roof of the vehicle. The RCMP pulled the vehicle over to discover that the driver’s daughter’s birthday cake had accidently been left on the roof of the car when they left their residence. The driver of the vehicle was elated with the RCMP officer and thanked him for saving her daughter’s birthday.
The Canora/ Sturgis RCMP has seen an increased rise in frauds and phone scams in the area. If you think you might be the target of a scam or fraud, please call the Canora-Sturgis RCMP (306) 563-4700. The RCMP will be able to offer you advice and guidance on how to proceed with the possible scam or fraud and keep you and your money safe. The RCMP would also like to remind everyone that your identity is just as valuable as your money so never give out personal information such as your social insurance number, date of birth, or other personal information.
Here are 10 things you can do to avoid fraud and phone scams:
1. Spot imposters. Scammers often pretend to be someone you trust, like a government official, a family member, a charity, or a company you do business with. Don’t send money or give out personal information in response to an unexpected request, whether it comes as a text, a phone call, or an email.
2. Do online searches. Type a company or product name into a search engine with words like “review,” “complaint” or “scam.” Or search for a phrase that describes your situation, like “Canada Revenue Agency call.” You can even search for phone numbers to see if other people have reported them as scams.
3. Don’t believe your caller ID. Technology makes it easy for scammers to fake caller ID information, so the name and number you see aren’t always real. If someone calls asking for money or personal information, hang up. If you think the caller might be telling the truth, call back to a number you know is genuine.
4. Don’t pay upfront for a promise. Someone might ask you to pay in advance for things like debt relief, credit and loan offers, mortgage assistance, or a job. They might even say you’ve won a prize, but first you have to pay taxes or fees. If you do, they will probably take the money and disappear.
5. Consider how you pay. Credit cards have significant fraud protection built in, but some payment methods don’t. Wiring money through services like Western Union or MoneyGram is risky because it’s nearly impossible to get your money back. That’s also true for reloadable cards (like MoneyPak or Reloadit) and gift cards (like iTunes or Google Play). Government offices and honest companies won’t require you to use these payment methods.
6. Talk to someone. Before you give up your money or personal information, talk to someone you trust. Con artists want you to make decisions in a hurry. They might even threaten you. Slow down, check out the story, do an online search, consult an expert, or just tell a friend.
7. Hang up on robocalls. If you answer the phone and hear a recorded sales pitch, hang up and report it to the antifraud center. These calls are illegal, and often the products are bogus. Don’t press 1 to speak to a person or to be taken off the list. That could lead to more calls.
8. Be skeptical about free trial offers. Some companies use free trials to sign you up for products and bill you every month until you cancel. Before you agree to a free trial, research the company and read the cancellation policy. And always review your monthly statements for charges you don’t recognize.
9. Don’t deposit a check and wire money back. By law, banks must make funds from deposited checks available within days, but uncovering a fake check can take weeks. If a check you deposit turns out to be a fake, you’re responsible for repaying the bank.
10. Never send money to someone you don’t know or haven’t met. Scammers will often gain your trust or convince you that sending the money is time sensitive. Once you send your money it is usually gone forever and you can not get it back.
