Vancouver man charged for making hoax calls to staff at Lynn Valley Care Centre
Posted September 30, 2020 5:43 pm.
Last Updated October 1, 2020 10:58 am.
NORTH VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A Vancouver man accused of making hoax calls to staff at North Vancouver’s Lynn Valley Care Centre has now been charged.
RCMP Sgt. Peter DeVries confirms Taymour Aghtai is the suspect police identified in July.
“A number of weeks ago we recommended a charge in this case to BC Prosecution Service and they have now laid one charge against a male resident of Vancouver,” he says.
The BC Prosecution Service has confirmed Aghtai will make another court appearance on Thursday in North Vancouver.
#BREAKING #Vancouver man accused of making hoax calls to staff at #NorthVancouver‘s Lynn Valley Care Centre charged with conveying false information with the intent to injure.
Court documents suggest 26-year-old Taymour Aghtai used up to 7 aliases. More details coming @NEWS1130— Marcella Bernardo (@Bernardo1130) October 1, 2020
The single count laid against him is for conveying false information with the intent to injure.
It dates back to Mar. 7, when someone pretending to be a health officer notified staff to stay home.
The next day, a man in his 80s was the first COVID-19 victim to die in BC and, by the time the outbreak at Lynn Valley was over, 20 people had died.
Sgt. DeVries says he is aware of the hardships that followed staff and residents at the care home, which was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was a particularly difficult time for Lynn Valley Care Center and we were pleased that they were able to reach out to us and that we were able to take the report from them and proceed with the criminal investigation. We will continue to gather evidence as it comes available.”
Court documents show the 26-year-old man now charged used as many as seven other names — including two referring to himself as Constable Forseth or Constable McMichael.