Clarification
Powell River RCMP have issued a clarification on their search for the owner of an expensive watch.
The timepiece in question, a unique Versace wrist watch, is thought to have been stolen from someone in the Powell River area within the last six months, police said.
They made the search for its owner public last week in their weekly media briefs, but the owner of Powell River’s only pawn shop was not pleased.
Duane Jantzen, owner of Powell River Pawn Shop, said that he and his business have been placed in an unfavourable light because of it.
After last week’s briefly in the Weekend Shopper, about a half a dozen people have come into his shop inquiring about the watch, Jantzen said.
The RCMP’s original press release said they believe the stolen watch had been pawned, but did not say that it was pawned on Vancouver Island. “It wasn’t [us] for sure,” said Jantzen.
Jantzen said that pawn shops are required by law to file reports to the police on every item they purchase. “We comply [completely] with police requirements and bylaws,” he said.
He wanted to clarify that he did not have a stolen watch in his store or any other stolen items, adding that it is rare these days for thieves, once having burglarized a home, to bring stolen items to pawn shops because of the reports that shops are required to make.
He added that in his opinion the RCMP are reverse policing. “They’ve seized a watch they think is stolen and now they are trying to find the owner when in fact there may not have been a crime committed,” said Jantzen.
Powell River RCMP Constable Tim Kenning issued a clarification in his weekly media briefs in Wednesday’s Peak newspaper saying that the police believe the watch was pawned on Vancouver Island during the last week of November 2014 and they are still looking for its owner.
Cancellation
Travellers intending to use BC Ferries’ service to and from Vancouver Island Sunday night, January 18, are reminded the sailings will be cancelled.
The Queen of Burnaby will not sail the 7:15 pm route from Little River to Powell River and the 8:45 pm route from Powell River to Little River.
The cancellation is to give time for the Burnaby to transit to the Esquimalt shipyard for repairs to an oil leak to begin Monday morning.
Schedule alterations due to the Burnaby being out of service next week are available online.
Pickle play
Pickle ball fans are gearing up for the sport’s first tournament in Powell River.
The game, a mix between tennis and Ping Pong, has steadily been gaining attention across North America.
Organizer Vivian Thickett said top-ranked players from Vancouver Island and the Lower Sunshine Coast will be competing with local players. The tournament will run from noon until 8 pm in Oceanview Education Centre’s gym on Saturday, January 17.
