Quiet Christmas reported by city emergency services

PENTICTON – It was a quiet Christmas for Penticton’s police and fire services.

“A handful of stolen vehicles were reported over the past few days,” said Penticton RCMP Watch Commander Constable Chad Jackson, “but other than that things were pretty much average over Christmas."

Jackson said six Dodge pickups were stolen from residences in the Penticton, Okanagan Falls and Naramata areas since Christmas.

Thieves appeared to be targeting 1990 models, such as one reported missing on a Penticton Facebook page on Dec. 28 by Cam Steele, who reported his father’s truck stolen from the driveway at 2:30 a.m. Describing the vehicle as a 1999 Dodge Ram 2500, forest green, long box regular cab pickup, he also posted the police file number, noting the truck’s destination appeared to be south of town towards the Okanagan Falls / Oliver area.

Jackson is advising owners of similar vehicles to take care to lock their vehicles and keep an eye out for suspicious activity.

The Penticton Fire Department also reported an average Christmas without any major incidents.

“It was mostly quiet, several medical assist calls, but nothing major,” reported Captain Tom Smith of the Penticton Fire Department, describing it as a “typical Christmas.”

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

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Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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