“When an officer receives a missing persons report, they’re able to get that information to Realtors that are working in the local area so that we have more eyes and ears on the street.
Cpl. Janelle Shoihet, RCMP
What is Realty Watch?
Realty Watch is a community crime prevention program of over 17,000 Realtors, serving the police as extra eyes within their communities. The Realty Watch program operates across the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada, from Whistler to Hope and every community in between. Realty Watch is a partner agency of Amber Alert.
The program is operated by Realtor volunteers and staff from the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board, and the Chilliwack & District Real Estate Board.
Pamela’s story
In 1994, in White Rock, BC, a teenage girl went missing. Her name was Pamela Cameron.
Her father contacted his Realtor to enlist help during their desperate search. He pointed out that Realtors would be an excellent resource to help search for missing persons because they all carried pagers and could be alerted quickly, and because they were out in their communities meeting clients and showing properties.
Unfortunately, Pamela’s life was tragically taken. And Realty Watch was born. Watch the video for the full story.
Criteria and activation
(police only)
Realty Watch fan-outs are for immediate emergencies. They’re requested by police within hours of someone being reported lost or missing.
1. Police confirm the information meets program criteria
- Person(s) who are lost, missing or abducted that were reported within the last 72 hours.
- Vehicle(s) of persons of interest that are considered suspicious and may be involved in a crime.
2. Police request a fan-out by contacting Realty Watch with emergency information
Option 1: Phone 1.877.532.6688. If you’re calling after business hours, leave a message and it will be reviewed the next business day.
Option 2: Send an email with full details to fanout@realtywatch.net.
- If the criteria are met, a simultaneous text message is sent to Realtors in the communities of Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley, or Chilliwack.
3. Realtors participate by
- Responding to the activated fan-out by watching for the missing person(s) or suspicious vehicle(s).
- Reporting directly to police any suspicious activity they may see relating to the fan-out request.
July 2016
FOUND: Realtor helps find missing person
Port Coquitlam REALTOR® Risa Bassetto was integral to finding a missing person earlier this month. Risa was alerted through the [...]
May 2010
Realty Watch partners with BCCPA
For the first time, Realty Watch partnered with the BC Crime Prevention Association (BCCPA) to host its flagship event for [...]
June 2009
FOUND: Missing senior located by Realty Watch
(Surrey, BC) The White Rock RCMP credit Realty Watch, the community crime prevention program of Lower Mainland Realtors, for helping [...]
May 2006
FOUND: Langley Realtor helps locate missing teen
(Surrey, BC) The Langley RCMP credit Realty Watch, the community crime prevention program of Lower Mainland Realtors, with the swift [...]
September 2004
FOUND: Success in Ontario
Another success, this time in Ontario. A Realtor in the Niagara region spots a missing senior citizen and calls Police [...]
February 2004
REBGV launches Realty Watch pilot project
The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) launches a Realty Watch fan-out pilot project in Burnaby, New Westminster and [...]
1.877.532.6688 | fanout@realtywatch.net
Fraser Valley
Real Estate Board
communications@fvreb.bc.ca
604.930.7600
Abbotsford, Langley, Mission, North Delta, Surrey, White Rock
Real Estate Board of
Greater Vancouver
Fiona Youatt
Program Coordinator
604.730.3068
Burnaby, Coquitlam, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, North Vancouver, Pemberton, Pitt Meadows, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Richmond, South Delta, Squamish, Sunshine Coast, Vancouver, West Vancouver, Whistler
Chilliwack & District
Real Estate Board
Steve Lerigny
Executive Officer
604.792.0912
Agassiz, Boston Bar, Chilliwack, Harrison Hot Springs, Hope, Yarrow