Yesterday, the Vancouver Police Department announced the elderly couple’s arrest. They were subsequently released pending formal charges after the matter is reviewed by the Crown Attorney’s office. Unless and until they are formally charged, police are not releasing their names and are only saying they are husband and wife.
According to police, a search warrant was executed by investigators with the VPD’s anti-fencing unit at a Vancouver home on March 1. Police recovered about $200,000 in goods allegedly stolen. A vehicle that was allegedly used to transport the stolen merchandise was also seized.
Police describe the couple’s operation as a “predatory fence.” It is alleged the senior citizens bought goods from drug addicts who were stealing to support their habit. In addition, it is claimed the couple also bought goods from professional thieves and organized groups that steal from retail stores.
The couple is then accused of selling these goods either out of their home or overseas where the merchandise was sold to individual retailers.
The number of items recovered was huge and, as CBC reports, included such things as toothbrushes, liquor, vitamins, clothing and batteries. Insp. Earl Andersen said people who run these operations are simply taking advantage of drug addicts. “They pay 10 cents on the dollar” and sometimes provide thieves with shopping lists of what goods they want.
Police also say the quantity of goods the couple were allegedly involved in was such that hundreds of crimes were committed each month to keep the business going.
Although neither the man nor woman have criminal records, police have suspected they were running a large fencing operation for some time. It is believed they have been running their fencing operation for several years.
Police took this opportunity to remind the public if they see goods for sale in restaurants, bars or online and the price seems to good to be true it probably is. And those who purchase these goods can also be charged with and convicted of possession of stolen goods if, due to how the sale is conducted and the price of the items, it is obvious the goods had been stolen.
