‘Thousands of pieces’ of mail, bank cards, a firearm seized in New Westminster: police

Police say numerous items related to fraud were seized from a residence in the Uptown neighbourhood of New Westminster.

In a release Wednesday, the New Westminster Police Department says on Sept. 11 it received a call for service at a home near 8 St. and 5 Ave. for an unrelated matter but ended up locating several suspicious items that it believes are connected to identity fraud.

“Patrol officers worked in partnership with the Crime Reduction Unit and a search warrant was obtained,” it said.

Police say the items that were seized include around 8,000 pieces of stolen mail, three replica firearms, a real firearm with ammunition, three imitation firearms, around 1,500 stolen or fraudulent bank cards and identification cards, around 50 passports, and other items that can be used to make fraudulent documents.

Sgt. Andrew Leaver with the New Westminster Police Department says offences like these impact the entire community negatively.

“Credit card fraud and identity theft is an invasive crime that can create significant problems for both businesses and individuals. We encourage residents to periodically check their bank and credit card statements and report any irregularities. The diligent work of our Crime Reduction Unit will likely prevent further residents becoming victimized,” he said.

Officers say there is an ongoing investigation on this case. They say they are considering a number of charges related to firearms offences, mail theft, identity theft and credit card fraud.

“Officers are working to process thousands of pieces of evidence and identify the rightful owners of the stolen property,” the release said.

At a press conference Wednesday, Leaver said the police department has identified a suspect and will be able to update the public at a later time.

“This seizure represents a significant disruption to a fraud organization, the extent of the organization, we don’t know yet,” he said.

The New Westminster Police Department says it believes mail theft is an underreported crime and asks you to report it to them if your mail is stolen by calling 604-525-5411. The department is also reminding the public that credit reports or credit monitoring can be done to check for signs of fraud.