Rodeo roundup
West Shore RCMP are reporting a relatively well run and problem free Luxton Rodeo, with a couple of notable exceptions.
Police have one suspect and others are being sought for three knife-point robberies that occurred at or around the midway.
At around 6:50 p.m. a teenager was robbed by another teen who brandished a knife before stealing a backpack and skateboard.
Two more reports of robbery by knife were received from the area, including one from the grounds of Happy Valley elementary school. Cell phones and money were stolen in those incidents.
RCMP believe all three incidents are related, as well as possibly a fourth, which involved an intoxicated male in his 30s being assaulted by a group of teenagers at a nearby hotel later that evening. The man had to go to the hospital with minor injuries.
Sgt. Max Fossum, RCMP spokesperson, said it is believed a group of three to five teenagers committed the crimes, including one female. The three robberies occurred within about an hour.
In an unrelated incident, a carnival worker – an employee of West Coast Amusements – was arrested on Saturday, May 19 for an outstanding warrant from Surrey for possession for the purpose of trafficking. The man was released the next day and went back to work.
"Overall it was a pretty good, positive event," Fossum said. "Probably about 6 p.m., 7 p.m. I saw maybe a switch ... we had more complaints. Otherwise I thought it was really well done."
Bank robber charged
On May 17, Noel Doddridge received a three-year sentence for robbery at the CIBC in Colwood on Goldstream Avenue. On November 30, 2011, the 37-year-old Doddridge entered the bank and left an undisclosed amount of stolen money.
He has been in custody since December, 2011, and will receive eight months off his sentence for time already served.
The man has a lengthy criminal record starting in 1990. Most charges have been for break and enters. In 2008, he was convicted of robbery and use of a firearm for intimidation.
Cut short
On Friday, May 18, the Olympic View Golf Club in Colwood was broken into. The glass front door was smashed someone tried unsuccessfully to steal an ATM. To bypass the alarm, the culprits cut the electricity to the building from a conduit on a power pole about 30 metres away.
RCMP are asking anyone with information to contact West Shore RCMP at 250-474-2264 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.