Some serious Bad Karma coming somebody’s way at Christmas

One wonders if this is how John Gotti got his start. Some rather daring local thieves have hit the Queen Charlottes Christmas plans rather hard. With a brazen hijacking of a local load of goods destined for the Charlottes.

It’s unknown if the gang hit the trucks in the Prince Rupert BC Ferry yard, onboard the ferry on the way to the Charlottes or when they sat overnight in the yard at Skidegate. The crime took place around December 15th, but was not discovered until the trailers were opened in Skidegate

The contents of the two trailers were rifled through, with UPS parcels cut open, waybills stolen and Sears totes opened and items taken out as though a shopping list had been compiled.

There’s no report on the value of the thefts as the shippers have yet to determine what is missing and damaged and what has been left intact. The Prince Rupert RCMP have been handed the file for investigation.

Heather Ramsey had the full details of the crime on the Queen Charlotte Islands Observer.

Merciless grinch steals presents
By Heather Ramsay—
Queen Charlotte Islands Observer
Wednesday, December 20, 2006

The grinch hit the islands without mercy on the weekend, making off with parcels full of clothing, jewellery, watches, perfume, cameras and more. Although no one is sure where the break-in occurred, either at the Prince Rupert ferry terminal, on the ferry itself or at Skidegate Landing, two Lindsay's trailers stuffed with Christmas cheer were pilfered and thieves made off with an unknown quantity of goods.

From the look of the totes received by Sears in Skidegate on Monday morning, the thieves had a shopping list, said George Westwood, who is one of Sears helper elves at this time of year. He said some things were taken, but other big ticket items like an electric guitar and several television sets were left alone. He said the value of goods missing is unknown, as the thieves took the waybills with them too.They are still waiting for a full manifest list from Sears Canada.

The two Lindsay's trailers sat overnight at the ferry terminal in Skidegate Landing after arriving on the ferry on Friday evening (Dec. 15). Ron Dallyn, the dispatcher for Lindsay's says he thinks it is more likely the break and enter took place on the islands than in Rupert or on the ferry.

He says Clearbrook Trucking has authority to open the trailers to retrieve goods destined for Sandspit. The employee who opened the trailer Friday night told Lindsay's the trailer did not look broken into at that time. But when Lindsay's drivers came down on Saturday morning, they discovered the trailers had been entered. Mr. Dallyn says the drivers found several UPS parcels cut open and rifled through, along with the vandalized Sears items and goods for other stores. The real shame, he says, is he can't deliver the parcels that were opened, but still contain goods, until after the investigation is complete.

All paperwork for the delivery manifests were gone as well, including those for the Sandspit delivery. The whole incident delayed Lindsay's delivery for four or five hours says Mr. Dallyn and continues to cause him headaches in trying to make a list of what was missing. Sergeant Neil Hogg of the Queen Charlotte RCMP detachment told the Observer that the file is being handled by the Prince Rupert police. Prince Rupert police were having difficulties with their computer networks and could not track down the file to provide any more details by the Observer's deadline Tuesday.

Local skaters shocked at death of Kitimat skater

The tragic murder of a popular Kitimat figure skater, reverberated around the local skating club last weekend, as they prepared for a competition in that city.

Local skaters were in shock as the reports of the sixteen year old girls passing and the nature of her death were made at the rink. The Daily featured the story as its headline story in the Wednesday edition.

SKATERS IN 'SHOCK' AFTER DEATH OF 16 YEAR OLD GIRL
By Patrick Witwicki
The Daily News
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Page one

The Northwest region had to endure one of its toughest figure skating test days in recent history, and it had nothing to do with the weather.

Instead, the scheduled test day, hosted by the Kitimat skate club last weekend, was rocked by the terrible news that one of Kitimat’s veteran young skaters had died Thursday night.

With Northwest skaters arriving on the scene early Friday morning for practice sessions, it didn’t take long for everyone to realize something was wrong. The majority of the Kitimat skaters were in tears, and the parents were doing all they could to ensure their athletes didn’t find out what really happened.

Instead, the news was kept simple: 16-year-old Stephanie Joy Donnelly had passed away.

“It was pretty tough on everyone,” said Sheri Pringle, coach of the Rupert skating club. “We didn’t tell the skaters what had happened, or at least, what was hearsay in the crowd, except that she had passed away.”

Pringle had five of her skaters there, and it was very difficult for her to keep her athletes focussed on their tests.

“I got there Friday afternoon, and (my skaters) were in shock,” she said. “If it had been me, I would’ve cancelled the whole thing.”

Instead, a grief councillor was called to the scene, and spent the majority of Friday meeting with emotional skaters, especially those from Kitimat.

Even then, there was talk of simply postponing the meet out of respect for the late Donnelly, but the Terrace skate club stepped in, and agreed to take it over.

Then, some of the Kitimat skaters decided to take to the ice, because “they felt that’s what Stephanie would have wanted them to do,” said Pringle.

Even though the Rupert skaters only get to hang out with other Northwest athletes sporadically throughout the season, it was still difficult for them to take to the ice, said Pringle.

“Francesca (Amante) was singing with that girl in the dressing room only a month ago,” she said.

Blair Evan Donnelly, 47, the father of the deceased 16-year-old Mount Elizabeth Secondary student has been charged with second degree murder.

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