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Police used a search warrant Sunday to seize a van load of stereo equipment from this house. (Photo Marshall Jones)
By Marshall Jones and Joe Fries
Kelowna Mounties went to unusual lengths yesterday to pull the plug on a Black Mountain resident and his ground-shaking stereo equipment.
When police were called this weekend for the eighth time in two weeks, they couldn’t even speak to the man at 712 Lone Pine Dr until the song would end. They finally got a search warrant, entered the man’s home and arrested him for mischief. Then they seized his stereo equipment and will apply to a judge to have it destroyed.
Cpl. Andrew Waddell told Kelowna.com that police filled a transport van with amplifiers, speakers, receivers and other goodies.
“We have very limited tools available when we have calls like this,” Waddell said, explaining why police went to such lengths to turn off the tunes.
It brings to an end months of tension in the neighbourhood. Through phone calls and interviews with neighbours at the local mailbox, there was no shortage of complaints though several refused to give names after special counsel from police who advised them not to get personally involved.
They all have their stories about the music going for hours—sometimes days—on end. It was so loud, one neighbour said they could hear song lyrics clear as a bell whether they were inside or outside their own home.
“This has been ongoing since mid-February,” she said. “Sometimes he would play the same song for two or three hours on repeat… once it was a Johnny Cash song, some techno stuff, some basic rock, like Journey. Even some local radio….”
One weekend, the constant bass started on a Saturday evening and went to Monday morning. She said living through it has been frustrating. She tries to shut it out but finds it easiest to just leave home. They complained over and over again to police and bylaws but couldn’t get any reaction.
“To me the real story is that for so long the police couldn’t do anything,” she said. “What is the point of having bylaws if there is nothing to enforce the law?”
The man is due in court in June. Police will seek to have the stereo equipment destroyed.
news@kelowna.com
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Good job! We should be getting more of these losers!!
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Sounds like some mental illness happening there. Hope he doesn’t go on a killing spree now, I live near there.
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This is like dejavu. We have had the same problem here with a neighbour for 3 1/2 years. The Bylaw Department, at the request of RCMP, finally took this to court and won (see FVRD vs Brad Van Geel). We live in a community where peace and quiet is valued and part of our Official Community Plan and protected under bylaw. All we ask is that the loud music does not come into our homes and disturb our sleep and normal daily activities. But as in Kelowna the windows would rattle, walls creek and we could not watch T.V., sleep or carry on conversation in our own homes or yards. (We took decible readings inside our homes at 85 to 105 and they were often higher) That has been the case for over 3 years now – time to toughen up the laws on these people who think their rights are more important than the rights of the majority. We have a B&B that caters to fishermen from overseas and they were absolutely amazed at what this neighbour did get away with. In their country they said the equipment is immediately conviscated, charges laid and in some cases the offender forced to move. We need to toughen up our laws so these people are arrested and equipment conviscated on the 3rd offence; 3 strikes and you are out! Enough is enough – and in the case of this so called “music” or “boom boxes” it is more than enough!
Wayne Snerle
Chilliwack River Valley
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