An attempted theft of weapons on Front Street has prompted a call from the city for improved crime prevention tactics while the road is off limits to vehicles.
Last week, New Westminster police officers nabbed suspects who had allegedly stolen pellet guns from a Front Street business.
“Everything has been retrieved,” said Coun. Chuck Puchmayr. “They were caught hauling out pellet guns and BB guns. They were running across Front Street and hiding them underneath a construction trailer.”
The theft occurred under the eastern portion of the Front Street parkade, which is being rehabilitated. Work recently began on deconstructing the western part of the parkade.
Puchmayr spoke with New Westminster Police Chief Const. Dave Jones about the incident after visiting the merchant last week. On Monday night, he raised the matter in council chambers, saying he’d like the city to consider what crime prevention throughout environmental design (CPTED) initiatives could be implemented while work is underway on the Front Street parkade and to inquire whether the construction company that’s working on the parkade can expand its security plan to look after the area under the parkade.
Puchmayr believes Front Street needs “more eyes on the street” as it’s currently a “quiet, dark, desolate place” at night.
Jones said the New Westminster Police Department will be patrolling the area, reaching out to the business owners and working with the city’s integrated service team to address issues such as lighting, access, hidden alcoves, places to hide and other issues that may have been created by a construction zone.
“We have a long-term construction site which has heavy equipment. It can also be potentially, even though it’s fenced off, an unsafe area and needs a creative solution. I wouldn’t describe it as desolation – I still think it’s quite an attractive place to go to,” he said. “It’s an interesting place to actually go and see it while it’s under deconstruction.”
It’s expected that Front Street will be closed to vehicles until July, while work on demolition of the eastern side of the parkade takes place and a new pedestrian mews is created. Residents can still access businesses via Frontage Road.
