Regional top cop, Superintendent Kevin Hewco told directors at the Regional District today:

Most areas are seeing some action in commercial thefts and B and E’s.

Of particular note was a problem in rural Osoyoos and rural Oliver – theft of heavy equipment. He could not elaborate and asked that the local detachments be contacted.

Hewco was asked about two provincially funded officer positions to carry the workload at the Okanagan Correctional Centre (OCC) when it opens next year. He said he had extensive conversations with Corrections BC in Kamloops on the typical size of the workload looking into prison crime, doing DNA testing and other investigations required by detachments province wide.

He said he had not heard back yet but had submitted a lengthy business case for those two positions.

Superintendent Hewco mentioned the number of fraud cases – mostly complaints about seniors getting bilked by telephone con men. He told the story of recently getting an email on his RCMP communications from the same people saying you have a tax credit from Revenue Canada. He said it proves the con-men will try anyone and it is important not to talk to people you don’t know that want money or your personal information.