Mid November.  One of our neighbours notices an active campsite a smidge down the coastline from their house.  Investigates.  Finds an ad hoc ‘net’ strung across a stream and a returning salmon hung up on it.  A close examination of the campsite shows the remains of a few other fish having been fried.  Calls the police.  Poaching is suspected.

Police come.  Campers see them arriving and run in to the woods.  Campsite examined.  ID found.  Cops leave.

Campers return.  Seems there are four of them.  Three men and a young woman.  Everyone looks a bit rough.

Neighbour’s son decides to watch them more closely and hikes up behind the hill (the whole island is hills).  While he is there, he hears them breaking into another neighbour’s place.  Runs home.  Cops called again.

A bunch of cops appear this time.  And a helicopter, SWAT-types and a K-9 unit.  Forces deploy.  Bad guys captured, handcuffed and flown out.

The ‘victimized’ neighbour comes to survey the damage after the break-in.  Lotta mess.  Some food missing.  Perps in custody.

Message: if you are ‘on the lam’ (seems they were.  From Victoria.  Don’t know why) do not go to a remote island. 

“It’s like a fishbowl out here when you think about it.  At least a half dozen people knew they were here and one of them phoned the police before they broke in to someone’s house!  People murder, rape, steal and plunder in the city and are never caught.  These dorks catch a salmon illegally and are taken out by SWAT!”

It’s not that simple of course.  And, in a way, it is.  Everyone knows everyone else’s business out here.  The forest telegraph works amazingly fast.  The stories are numerous.  It’s hard to hide out here.

We’ll find you.

Re:  Hawken.  No reports in yet.  Will share when they are received.