Mountain bike traps trigger arrest of North Vancouver woman
Police say 64-year-old caught on hidden cameras placing dangerous objects across popular trails
A 64-year-old woman is facing criminal charges for allegedly setting traps on some popular North Vancouver mountain bike trails.
Police said she was arrested after local mountain bikers caught her on hidden video cameras placing dangerous obstacles across the trails on Mt. Fromme.
The mountain bikers first became concerned about the problem in August when they noticed that someone was placing logs, branches and rocks across the Quarry and Lower Skull trails every week.
Two bikers decided to buy and install some security cameras on the trails in the hopes of capturing an image of the culprit.
Police said the woman, whose identity has yet to be released, was arrested on Sunday at the head of Quarry Trail.
She appeared before a justice of the peace and was released on the condition that she not to go near any biking trails, said police.
North Vancouver RCMP Cpl. Richard De Jong said police have recommended Crown prosecutors lay criminal charges of setting a trap and mischief to property.
"These are serious charges. These are public trails and one should not interfere with the lawful enjoyment of the trails and set up traps or obstacles to potentially endanger the lives of people using them," De Jong said in a statement released on Wednesday.
"Fortunately no one was seriously hurt or injured in these incidents."
The woman is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 4.
Police said the videos captured by the bikers would not be released to the public.