Daily Digest — British Columbia, Canada — 2026-02-04

Angry tugboat owner: Nanaimo tugboat owner Andrew Reynolds says he's frustrated after a man spent nearly 30 hours on his boat, vandalized cameras and furniture, and was arrested following a Feb. 1 standoff that ended with tear gas around 5:30 p.m. The 44-year-old, Marcel Alvin Fontaine, was released on Monday with conditions (including staying 100 m from the boat) and faces other charges; his next court date is Feb. 10.

Where did the tips go?: Restaurants across B.C. using Everyday Payments/AnyDay say third-party tip wallets stopped distributing funds during a late-January transition, leaving some owners missing thousands — examples include $4,550 (Whistler) and $12,000 (Squamish), while industry leaders warn losses may be in the millions. Police reports were filed in Whistler and Prince George, the company says delays were due to a move to a prefunded model, and restaurateurs are scrambling to cover payroll.

Paramedic uniform stolen — be alert: Kelowna paramedic Ashley Salmen had her uniform and ID stolen from her vehicle on Jan. 31 at about 6:50–6:52 a.m. in Rutland (Kneller Road); RCMP are reviewing surveillance to identify a suspect and warn the public to report anyone impersonating emergency staff (Cpl. Steven Lang stressed the safety risk).

Westham Island Bridge shut for weeks: The single-lane Westham Island Bridge in Delta was hit by a barge on Jan. 20 and is now closed to vehicles and pedestrians for several weeks while crews repair a damaged primary support. TransLink says emergency services will still have access, about 130 households are affected, and a 24/7 water taxi (every 30 minutes) plus overnight on-call service will run; noisy pile-driving work is expected.

Former RCMP officer to lead extortion advisory group: Premier David Eby and Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger appointed Paul Dadwal, with Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit experience, to head a community advisory group on extortion aimed at improving police–community communication, especially in Surrey. Mayor Brenda Locke is in Ottawa pressing for federal action, including a possible national state of emergency and an extortion commissioner.

Valentine’s deepfake warning: Tech experts say AI is making romance scams more convincing on dating apps and social media, with Canadians losing $54,684,677.69 to romance scams Jan–Sep 2025 (Canadian Anti‑Fraud Centre). Advice: watch for refusal to meet, fast-moving relationships, urgent money requests, voice/face deepfakes, and report scams to the Canadian Anti‑Fraud Centre.

Parents visit K’gari where Piper James died: Todd and Angela James from Campbell River travelled to Brisbane and K’gari (Fraser Island) this week to take part in a Butchulla smoking ceremony after their 19‑year‑old daughter Piper was found dead on Jan. 19; an autopsy found pre‑mortem dingo bites but ruled drowning most likely. The family plans a funeral on Feb. 28; rangers increased patrols and six aggressive dingoes were destroyed after the incident.

What’s a “thumper”?: Burnaby RCMP found unusual devices — metal poles with speaker‑like apparatus — allegedly used to transmit noise into the upstairs unit; police seized them on Nov. 3 and the downstairs resident faces mischief charges with a Feb. 24 court date. Neighbours reported rhythmic thumping and recorded loops; lawyers say deliberately installing such devices to deny quiet enjoyment is unusual and could lead to civil and criminal issues.