ALLEGED TOOLCAT THEFT THWARTED BY BYLAW OFFICER AND RESORT SECURITY

A bylaw officer responded to an alleged break-in at the arena on Jan. 28 after a security camera alarm went off

By Liz McDonald

Two suspects allegedly broke into the arena in late January and started the municipality's toolcat, according to Omar Butt, Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality’s (SPMRM) director of public works.

According to a report filed by the bylaw officer who responded to the breakin, after midnight on Jan. 28, a security camera detected movement at the arena, which sent an alarm alert to SPMRM’s bylaw officer. The officer and Sun Peaks Resort security responded to the alarm — when they arrived, they say they found two males had started the machine and were trying to get it into gear and drive the vehicle. The two males fled the scene when security and the bylaw officer arrived.

A toolcat is a two-person work vehicle SPMRM used for snow removal, sanding, moving dirt and rearranging pieces of the arena rink.

Butt said the toolcat is typically parked in the driveway of the arena because SPMRM doesn’t have a public works shop. Before the attempted theft, he said there hadn't been a need to lock the toolcat up, but that will change now.

“We’re changing our procedures a little bit, making sure we lock things up and just trying to be as safe as possible, so that doesn’t happen again,” Butt explained.

Butt said he did not recognize either of the suspects caught on video.

“One guy was wearing a ball cap. One guy was wearing a toque. [They] looked fairly young, I would probably say between 20 and 30,” Butt explained.

Sun Peaks Fire Chief Dean Schiavon said describing the suspects or their clothing in detail would be difficult because an infrared camera recorded the alleged incident in the dark.

Schiavon wants to remind the community to keep their cars and valuables locked.

Kamloops RCMP provided a written statement about the attempted theft.

“Tk’emlúps Rural RCMP Detachment received a report of an attempted theft of a snow plow on the 3300-block of Village Place. Two people ran from the plow when a vehicle approached – they were described as male, one wearing a red ball cap and dark jacket. No damage was reported,” an email from Crystal Evelyn, Kamloops RCMP media relations officer, stated.

If anyone has information about the incident, please call the Kamloops RCMP at 250-828-3000 and use file 2023-3326

Local Athletes See Strong Showing At Canada Winter Games

Snowboard, biathlon and alpine ski athletes from Sun Peaks competed in the 2023 Games in P.E.I.

By Liz McDonald

Sun Peaks youth showed their talent at the Canada Winter Games in P.E.I. recently, and one athlete even brought home a medal.

Tate Solomonson earned a silver medal in biathlon 12.5 km individual male and fifth place in single mixed relay mix. He also placed 17th in the biathlon 7.5 km sprint male and 21st in the biathlon 10 km pursuit male.

Nayte Brown of Sun Peaks Freestyle Snowboard Club came sixth in the snowboard big air male competition, eighth in slopestyle male, 12th in parallel giant slalom male and 13th in snowboardcross male.

Douglas Hunter of Sun Peaks Alpine Club (SPAC) placed 18th in alpine skiing slalom male and alpine skiing skicross male and 29th in alpine skiing super G male.

SPAC member Avery Tymchyna placed 28th in alpine skiing giant slalom male, 34th in alpine skiing super-G male and 35th in alpine skiing ski cross male.

Congratulations to these local athletes for representing Sun Peaks on a national stage!

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