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Big spike in catalytic converter thefts

Harvey Tschetter didn’t know someone was under his SUV when he was roused by the sounds of a power saw cutting metal and took a look around the vehicle outside his North Kildonan condo.

After finding nothing untoward and going back inside, he heard repeated hammer strikes and saw a vehicle idling next to his Mitsubishi RVR, which he’d purchased two days earlier. Someone was trying to steal the SUV’s catalytic converter.

“I ran out there and I screamed at them, ‘What the F do you think you’re doing?’ They crawled out from under my car, held the hammer up like, don’t come near me, and drove off,” Tschetter said of the June 8 incident. “It was 5 a.m. and completely light out. I can’t believe how brazen they were. They showed no fear.”

The incident happened amid a sharp year-over-year increase in reports of catalytic converter thefts or attempted thefts to Manitoba Public Insurance, after record highs in 2021 and 2022 led to increased enforcement, provincial anti-theft legislation and a period of significant decline.

Four candidates at play in The Pas-Kameesak byelection

The number of voters who cast a ballot in advance indicates there’s more than the usual amount of interest in Tuesday’s provincial byelection in The Pas-Kameesak, political watchers say.

Elections Manitoba on Monday afternoon reported 1,772 votes cast in advance, with advance voting continuing until 8 p.m. at the local election office in The Pas. The final number of advance votes will be tallied and released Tuesday morning. By comparison, there were 1,826 advance votes cast in The Pas-Kameesak in the 2023 general election.

“Generally, the turnout in byelections is far less than in a general election,” said University of Winnipeg political science Prof. Malcolm Bird. “Usually it’s between 30 to 50 per cent of what would turn out in a general election.”

He said it’s interesting that a byelection that won’t change who’s in government has attracted so many people to vote in advance in the middle of summer.

Plan being developed to tackle drug use, homelessness near church

Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham says a plan is in the works to address growing concerns over drug use and homelessness around an Osborne Village church after complaints from a nearby daycare, residents and businesses.

Gillingham said his senior adviser on homelessness, Jarred Baker, met with people in the area on Friday and was expected to provide a report later Monday outlining what was discussed and potential next steps.

Craig Wynands, executive director of 1JustCity, confirmed someone from the city met with Oak Table’s site lead, Thomas van der Krogt. Wynands also said he met Monday with officials from Augustine Centre and SPLASH Child Care.

“We discussed safety measures and increasing staff presence around the premises of the building,” he said. “1JustCity will be hiring additional staff to patrol the property regularly during the day.”

Mosque’s restorative justice program helps newcomers find their way

The Masjid Bilal is a chunky grey building just off Logan Avenue surrounded by warehouses and railyards. It looks more like a bunker than a mosque.

But on a summer Friday afternoon, its green-and-white carpeted interior is humming with activity. Two men in white robes and flat woolen caps are seated on the carpet poring over a copy of the Qur’an. A few young boys dodge through hallways, poking curious noses into open doors. At the back, next to a table piled with prayer mats, two girls in hijabs share schoolyard gossip. In the kitchen, women are cooking up pots of rice and chicken for people who will soon arrive for Friday prayers.

The Masjid Bilal is a community hub for members of Winnipeg’s African diaspora as well as Muslims from many other countries.

It’s also home to the Bilal Community and Family Centre, an innovative, community-centred nonprofit that is meeting vital needs for newcomers in this city.

‘Heartbreaking loss’: Sandy Bay First Nation offers condolences after apparent dog attack

Leaders with the Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation are offering their condolences after an animal rescue worker died following an apparent dog attack in the community and say the “stray and aggressive” animals are a longstanding issue.

Amanda Nobiss, 37, was volunteering in the community on the shores of Lake Manitoba with K9 Advocacy. Her remains were discovered on Friday morning.

The Manitoba First Nations Police Service said in a news release that it had been contacted by a friend of Amanda’s who was trying to locate her, around 12:45 a.m.

Using her cellphone location, police determined she appeared to be in Sandy Bay, said the release. Resources were dispatched to the area, including a drone, but due to the large radius of the cellphone “ping,” no one was located until 6 a.m.

Bishnoi Gang active in Manitoba

The Bishnoi Gang, which is run by a convicted gangster from his prison cell in India, appears to have gained a foothold in Manitoba. A civil forfeiture lawsuit filed in the Court of King’s Bench this month has revealed a 36-year-old man, who was arrested this year, had claimed he is a member of the Bishnoi Gang when he tried to extort cash from a Winnipeg resident.