Cycling In Vancouver

#VPDNews: The Vancouver Police Department is investigating a potential link in two separate “blessing scam” incidents in recent days that targeted seniors at bus stops. On October 16 at about 1:00 p.m., an 81-year-old woman was waiting at a bus stop on Victoria Drive near East 37th Avenue, when she was approached by two unknown Asian females. They engaged in conversation and the pair were able to ascertain information about the woman’s sons. A short time later, a male suspect joined them and convinced the victim that her sons could be healed if her valuables were blessed. The victim returned home and gathered about $7,000 in cash, a gold necklace, and a ring, and handed them over to the man. He passed back a bag containing instant noodles and water. The victim went home and spoke to her daughter who called police. In the second incident, on October 23 at about 10:30 a.m., a 79-year-old woman was approached by an unidentified Asian woman at a bus stop on Fraser Street at East 47th Avenue. A second woman wearing a mask and all black clothing joined them and told the victim that her youngest son would die if she didn’t bring her gold and money to be blessed by two men to get rid of bad spirits. The suspect in black accompanied the victim on the bus back to her residence to retrieve her valuables. The two returned to the area of East 47th Avenue and Fraser where the victim handed over approximately $40,000 in cash and another $50,000 in gold and jewelry to the men. She then returned home and upon opening her backpack realized the money and valuables had been replaced by noodles and water bottles. “Vulnerable seniors were targeted in both of these incidents,” said Const. Darren Wong. “We are asking anyone with information, or CCTV or dashcam footage which may have recorded these bus stop interactions, to call the non-emergency line at 604-717-3321.

#VPDNews: The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) is again urging pedestrians and drivers to be careful on the road following the death of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle early Sunday. This is the second pedestrian struck within just a few days in the city. The 45-year-old woman was hit by a vehicle as she crossed Main Street at National Avenue just after midnight on Sunday. She was crossing at a marked crosswalk. It is not yet clear if she was crossing with a walk signal at the time. An SUV travelling southbound struck the woman and she was thrown approximately 30 meters. Police, paramedics, and fire crews responded. The VPD Accident Investigation Unit was also called in. The victim suffered significant injuries and resuscitation measures were performed, but she was pronounced dead at the scene just before 1:00 a.m. on Sunday. The driver remained at the scene and is cooperating with police. Alcohol and substance use are not believed to be factors in the incident. It was dark and raining heavily at the time. Police are once again calling for additional caution on the roads this season as visibility becomes more challenging for both pedestrians and drivers. Three days before this incident, a seven-year-old girl was injured when she was hit by a vehicle at East Pender Street and Victoria Drive. She was released from hospital with minor injuries. Police have not yet requested charges as this latest incident is still under investigation.

#VPDNews: A 26-year-old Vancouver man has been convicted after a two-year investigation in connection with a discharge of a firearm near Helmcken and Seymour streets that occurred after the quick actions of a Vancouver Police officer led to his arrest moments after shots were fired. Nobody was injured in the incident. On August 16, 2024, two Vancouver Police officers observed a man they believed was acting suspiciously in the downtown area. The officers noticed the man was wearing clothing inconsistent with the hot weather and was repeatedly checking his surroundings. One of the officers followed the man on foot. The suspect turned a corner out of view, at which time the pursuing officer heard gunshots. Both officers immediately located and challenged the suspect at gunpoint until additional officers arrived and took him into custody. On December 15, 2025, Harmesh Raghbir Singh Sandhu, 26, entered a guilty plea to the following charges: - Possession of a loaded restricted firearm - Careless use of a firearm On September 4, 2026, Sandhu was sentenced to a global sentence of 46 months. The Court also imposed a 10-year firearms/weapons prohibition, a DNA order, and a forfeiture order. “This was a patrol-led investigation from start to finish. The vigilance and instincts of these patrol officers led to the immediate arrest of an armed suspect and ultimately helped secure this conviction.” says Constable Darren Wong.

#VPDNews: A 34-year-old man remains in custody after allegedly assaulting two tourists last night. On October 21 at approximately 11:00 p.m., Vancouver Police officers on routine patrol witnessed an altercation between a suspect and two people near Abbott and West Cordova streets. Officers immediately intervened and safely handcuffed the suspect. The two victims were tourists from Calgary walking back from the Bruno Mars concert. The suspect allegedly punched the male victim on the arm with a sharp object, believed to be glass. The force of that contact pushed the female victim into a nearby light pole. The male victim sustained a cut to his left forearm and was treated at the scene by Emergency Health Services. The suspect, identified as 34-year-old Derek Dale Driscoll, had two outstanding warrants, one in relation to an alleged breach of probation order and one for failing to attend court. He was arrested, transported to jail, and has now been charged with assault, assault causing bodily harm, and assault with a weapon. Driscoll remains in custody awaiting a bail hearing.

#VPDNews: A 48-year-old man from New Mexico has been charged after allegedly entering a Vancouver home early Wednesday morning, where he was discovered by the resident. On October 21, 2026, around 3:45 a.m., a woman was asleep in a residence near Atlin Street and East 29th Avenue when she awoke to find an unknown man reportedly rummaging through her personal belongings. The woman pretended to be asleep until the man left the room, then locked her bedroom door and called the Vancouver Police Department. She reported that she lived with roommates and believed the man was still inside the home. Officers quickly responded to the residence and located the suspect on the second floor. When they attempted to speak with him, he ran into a nearby bedroom. The officers observed him attempting to jump out of the window, and he was then taken into custody. The suspect refused to identify himself. Officers located identification belonging to a resident of New Mexico and have since been able to confirm his identity. Daniel Joseph Campbell, 48, has been charged with one count of break-and-enter and one count of obstructing a peace officer. Campbell remains in custody.

#VPDNews: Vancouver Police arrested a 45-year-old man following an alleged armed road rage incident in South Vancouver yesterday afternoon. On October 20 at approximately 12:00 p.m., VPD received a report of an incident near Fraser Street and East 45th Avenue. The victim reported she was driving and slowed down for a speed bump, prompting a male driver behind her to begin tailgating. The man then passed her on the left, stopped in front of her vehicle and approached her window. She alleged he produced what appeared to be a black handgun and pointed it at her before driving away. With the assistance of responding surveillance and the VPD Emergency Response Team (ERT), officers located the suspect vehicle parked near Knight Street and East 57th Avenue. A man matching the description of the suspect was walking away from the vehicle. Officers observed the man discard an object in the west lane of Knight Street, near East 57th Avenue. The man returned to the parked vehicle and drove away. ERT members successfully disabled the vehicle about a block away and took him into custody without incident. Officers recovered a BB gun in the laneway at the location they had observed the man discarding something. “This was a frightening ordeal for a driver simply going about her day," said Constable Darren Wong. "Thanks to the quick response and action of our officers, we were able to safely take the suspect into custody and recover the weapon." Rahat Arshad Ali, 45, has been charged with assault with a weapon, uttering threats, and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and using an imitation firearm in the commission of an offence. He remains in custody awaiting a bail hearing.

#VPDNews: Two men are in custody facing potential robbery charges after an early morning mallet attack in downtown Vancouver. On October 20, at approximately 1:42 a.m., the Vancouver Police Department responded to a report of an assault with a hammer near West Cordova Street and Richards Street. Arriving officers located a 35-year-old male victim suffering from head bruising, injuries to both hands, and a bloody nose. With the assistance of a local security guard who provided immediate access to building CCTV surveillance, officers tracked down and arrested two male suspects close to where the incident took place, who matched the physical descriptions seen on CCTV footage. During a search, police discovered a rubber mallet and the victim’s car key fob in the possession of one of the suspects. Charges of robbery have been forwarded to Crown counsel. Both individuals were transported to jail and remain in custody awaiting a bail hearing.

#VPDNews: The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) are investigating after multiple people were stabbed during a violent altercation in the Granville Entertainment District early Saturday morning. On October 17, just before 3:00 a.m., VPD officers responded to reports of a stabbing at a bar on Granville Street near Smithe Street. Witnesses reported an altercation that escalated inside the establishment involving three male patrons, resulting in all three sustaining stab wounds from an unidentified suspect. A male bar employee was also injured while attempting to intervene. Responding officers administered first aid at the scene until paramedics arrived. All four individuals were transported to the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect remains at large. He is described as a Black man, approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall with dreadlocks, and was last seen wearing a black puffy jacket. “We believe this was a targeted incident tied to the Lower Mainland gang conflict,” said Constable Darren Wong. “We are asking anyone who witnessed the altercation, or who has information about what happened, to come forward and speak with our investigators.” At this time, the investigation continues and anyone with information or video footage about the incident is asked to contact the VPD Major Crimes at 604-717-2500.

#VPDNews: The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) has arrested a chronic offender wanted on two Canada-wide warrants in connection with a crash that killed a teenager in the city. Officers had been looking for 55-year-old Raymond Desorcy since last December. After a detailed investigation by the Collision Investigation Unit, Desorcy pled guilty to Dangerous Operation of a Conveyance Causing Death in a crash that killed 18-year-old Dana Oh in Vancouver in 2023. He failed to appear for a sentencing hearing in 2025 and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Just before dawn Thursday morning, after an extensive search, the VPD Fugitive Team located and arrested Desorcy without incident as he left a coffee shop near Granville Street and West Georgia Street in downtown Vancouver. Upon his guilty plea being entered, the court heard evidence that Desorcy had been distracted by his cell phone and speeding on Oct. 7, 2023 when he drove through a red light at Granville Street and King Edward Avenue and collided with a BMW sedan turning left. The impact caused catastrophic injuries to Oh who was in the back seat of the BMW. The teen could only be extricated after the “jaws of life” were used to remove the vehicle’s side doors. She died six days later in hospital. Another passenger in the BMW suffered serious injuries. During his arrest on Oct. 15, 2026, Desorcy was allegedly in possession of non-prescription drugs and has now been charged with breach of a release order. He remains in custody awaiting a bail hearing. Desorcy has a lifetime firearms prohibition and more than 30 criminal convictions dating back to 1989, including for impaired driving, assault, break and enter, robbery and uttering threats. He was found guilty of seven counts of robbery in Edmonton in 2014 and released from prison in 2020.

#VPDNews: Vancouver Police have arrested a woman following an assault on a 73-year-old woman at Victory Square Thursday. Earlier today, the Vancouver Police Department released surveillance video to identify a suspect connected to the assault. After seeing the media release, a City of Vancouver employee contacted police and reported recognizing the woman from the video. The employee notified police. A 33-year-old Vancouver woman was arrested and later released on an undertaking to appear at a future court appearance.

#VPDNews: The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) is asking for the public’s help to identify suspects in three unprovoked stranger assaults that occurred across the city on Thursday. INCIDENT 1 At approximately 6:10 a.m. at Victory Square, 200 West Hastings Street, a 73-year-old woman was waiting in line for a recycling cup program when a suspect approached and attempted to steal bags containing her recyclable cups. When the victim tried to stop the theft, the suspect punched her in the eye, pushed her to the ground, and stole one of the bags before fleeing eastbound on West Hastings Street near Cambie Street. The victim was transported to hospital in stable condition. The suspect is described as a white woman in her 30s, with shoulder-length dirty-blonde hair with blonde highlights. She was wearing a black jacket, with white sweater underneath, black pants, and white shoes. “We are releasing CCTV images of the suspect and a potential witness in the hopes that someone may recognize them and come forward with more information,” says Superintendent Phil Heard. INCIDENT 2 Shortly before 12:30 p.m. near Commercial Drive and Adanac Street, a 44-year-old man was talking on the phone when he was approached by a man who began making racist remarks. After the victim told the suspect to leave him alone, the man elbowed him in the chin before punching and kicking him. The assault ended when witnesses intervened. The suspect was last seen walking southbound on Commercial Drive. He is described as a dark-skinned man between 40-50 years-old, approximately five foot seven inches tall, with a slim build. He was wearing a grey dress shirt, tan pants, white shoes, and a green cross-body bag. INCIDENT 3 At approximately 6:20 p.m. near Burrard and West Georgia, a 33-year-old resident was walking westbound when a man walking in the opposite direction suddenly struck him on his back. They briefly exchanged words before the suspect fled eastbound on West Georgia Street. He is described as a Black man, approximately five feet nine inches tall, with short black hair and a black beard. He was wearing a green winter jacket and carrying a black backpack. "We are asking anyone who witnessed any of these assaults, has CCTV footage, or can help identify any of the suspects to contact Vancouver Police at 604-717-3321," says Heard.

#VPDNews: High-risk sex offender Phoenix Wayne Opwam, subject of a VPD media release yesterday, turned himself in to police and was arrested without incident yesterday afternoon in the Downtown Eastside. Opwam, who was wanted on a Canada-wide warrant, has been transported back to a federal institution where he remains in custody.

#VPDNews: The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) is seeking witnesses after a 77-year-old woman was injured in an unprovoked stranger assault on Vancouver's west side. The senior was walking near Cambie Street and West Broadway when she was intentionally shouldered and knocked to the ground by a man walking in the opposite direction at about 6:30 p.m. yesterday. After the assault, the suspect continued walking eastbound on the north side of Broadway. He did not say anything or offer assistance to the senior. A witness called police and remained with the victim until officers arrived. The woman suffered a cut to her head and was taken to hospital for treatment. The suspect is described as a Black man with an athletic build, between 20 and 30 years old. He was wearing navy-blue pants, a navy-blue rain jacket with the hood up, and dark-coloured headphones. Anyone who witnessed the assault or has dash-cam, CCTV, or cell phone video of the incident is asked to contact the Vancouver Police Department.

#VPDNews: The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) is alerting the public following two alleged residential break-ins that occurred in South Vancouver on Thursday morning. VPD Property Crime investigators believe the alleged incidents are linked, and a man has now been charged. At approximately 9:45 a.m., a man allegedly removed a window screen of a home near East 49th Avenue and McKinnon Street. After hearing noises, the homeowner exited the shower and confronted the man, who immediately fled without stealing anything. Approximately 30 minutes later, a man matching the same description allegedly broke a window and entered a residence near West 48th Avenue and Ontario Street. The man allegedly stole several items before leaving the home. With assistance from the VPD Canine Unit, officers located and arrested a man matching the same description. Daryl Silas Hunt, 64, has been charged with one count of attempted break and enter and one count of break and enter. He remains in custody pending his next court appearance Oct. 15. Investigators believe the suspect may be linked to additional break-ins in Vancouver. Anyone who has experienced a break-in and has not yet reported it to police is asked to contact the VPD and file a report.

#VPDNews: Vancouver Police officers investigating a distraction theft targeting an 87-year-old man have arrested two suspects. Investigators canvassed the area of the Wednesday incident in East Vancouver and found the licence plate of the suspect vehicle on area CCTV footage. The vehicle was located Thursday near the Olympic Village and a man and woman were arrested without incident. The investigation continues and charges are pending.