Latest news with #SurreyRCMP
CBC
08-07-2025
- CBC
Man killed in police-involved shooting at Surrey, B.C., home where woman found dead
B.C.'s police watchdog is investigating the death of a man following an officer-involved shooting at a Surrey, B.C., home on Monday night, while homicide investigators look into the death of a woman found at the scene of the shooting. In a news release, the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. (IIO) says Surrey RCMP officers responded to reports of an assault at a home near 66A Avenue and 195 Street in Surrey's Clayton Heights neighbourhood around 8:30 p.m. PT on July 7. When police entered the home, they found a man with a weapon. The ensuing interaction led to an officer shooting the man, who died despite aid from police and paramedics, investigators say. Police subsequently found a woman dead inside the home. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) said the woman and man were a couple in their 60s who lived together. They say initial evidence indicates this was a case of intimate partner violence. The IIO is investigating the death of the man, while IHIT is investigating the woman's death. The IIO is called in any time a police-involved incident results in serious harm or death. Both the RCMP and Surrey Police Service officers are active in Surrey as it transitions from the RCMP to an independent police force.
CBC
24-06-2025
- CBC
Lululemon theft ring revealed: Organized crew suspected behind wave of shoplifted gear
Court documents obtained by CBC detail the inner workings of a multi-level organized ring of stolen goods traffickers allegedly directing prolific shoplifters who have stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of clothes from Lululemon stores across the Lower Mainland. Search warrant and civil forfeiture materials claim a Burnaby man charged last year in a high-profile investigation into stolen gear was in contact with a Surrey woman whose home was raided by police this March — yielding $175,000 worth of stolen goods and cosmetics. And even as he was beginning to defend himself against criminal charges of trafficking in stolen property, Surrey RCMP investigators claim the man was still "placing orders" with a street-level shoplifter "on what to steal." 'Knowledge of worldwide retail pricing' The web of people allegedly behind the thefts is described in a warrant RCMP obtained in March to search the home and vehicle of a Surrey woman named Yawen Zeng who is accused of operating in an "organizing role" in a trafficking ring. Zeng has not been charged criminally, but B.C.'s director of civil forfeiture filed a B.C. Supreme Court lawsuit against her last month, citing the numerous items of stolen clothing found in her garage as evidence her home was bought, in part, through the proceeds of crime. The search warrant details WhatsApp conversations where Zeng allegedly discussed prices and demand for specific Lululemon gear — including one asking for "skin creams" because of "worldwide competition" in which "Canadian price is higher than Asian or Europe." "I believe this was a significant message because it showed Zeng's knowledge of worldwide retail pricing and that she likely shipped and sold products in various international markets," wrote Const. Chris Tessarolo, the RCMP officer who obtained the warrant. "[This suggests] that she would be capable of being in a co-ordinating role for organized retail crime." According to the search warrant, the RCMP's investigation began last November when police began following Minh Ngoc Ta — a Lethbridge man who is currently facing multiple charges relating to theft from Lululemon stores across the Lower Mainland. Police mounted surveillance and watched as Ta allegedly took thousands of dollars worth of merchandise in grab-and-run thefts in the days before Christmas — hitting the Lululemon store in Surrey's Morgan Crossing mall five times in the space of a week. Beyond physical surveillance, RCMP also obtained data for Ta's phone conversations — which allegedly showed him in communication immediately before and after the thefts with Manishkumar Sureshbhai Patel, one of two men charged last year with fencing Lululemon gear. And so RCMP began reviewing the police files on that investigation. The suspects used SkyTrain as a 'getaway vehicle' The agency to first alert the public to the existence of a "large-scale, organized" Lululemon theft operation was Transit Police; they got involved because people selling stolen merchandise through Facebook Marketplace had used SkyTrain as a "getaway vehicle." At a news conference last August, investigators said they had seized 800 items of Lululemon gear and arrested two men, but no charges had been filed. That changed in October, when Patel and Manan Chandreshkumar Shah were charged with two counts each of possession for the purpose of trafficking and trafficking in stolen Lululemon property. A lawyer for both men — who are cousins — declined comment, but said her clients are pleading not guilty. A preliminary inquiry in the case is set for next month. As part of the RCMP investigation, Tessarolo reviewed Transit Police logs of Patel's communications with "prolific Lululemon thieves" — including Amber Cristina Rolston and Aaron Knight, a Surrey couple with his-and-hers bans from entering any Lululemon store in British Columbia. "I reviewed messages that showed Knight negotiating percentages that he wanted on items that Patel had requested he steal from Lululemon. In some cases, Knight and Patel would haggle to get the percentage they desired," Tessarolo writes. "Multiple photographs were sent by Patel to Knight, which were taken from the Lululemon website depicting images of leggings, jackets and other various Lululemon products accompanied by directions and requests as if orders were being placed by Patel to Knight for what to steal." The Transit Police file also included messages in which Zeng allegedly told Patel, "The Lululemon pants she was receiving from him had not sold yet, and she could not take any more." "Zeng and Patel discussed prices," the search warrant says. "And Zeng told Patel that she believed she could get better prices elsewhere." Tessarolo noted that Zeng did not have a criminal record or any history of low-level retail theft. "This made me believe that Zeng was disconnected from the thefts in more of an organizing role where she may be fencing stolen products that Patel would send her from low-level retail thieves," the RCMP officer wrote. 'Recent instances of obtaining stolen property' Patel and Shah made their first appearances in Vancouver provincial court in mid-October. Starting two months later, between December 12, 2024 and January 5, 2025, RCMP allegedly recorded 558 "events" — phone calls or messages — between Patel and Minh Ngoc Ta, the accused Lululemon thief. "These patterns showed that Patel was placing orders with Ta on what to steal," Tessarolo wrote. "From this, I believed that Patel had recent instances of obtaining stolen property and would likely still be communicating with Zeng to fence the stolen property." As a result, Surrey RCMP "shifted its investigation to Zeng," combing through her garbage and enlisting the help of a "Lululemon Asset Protection Specialist" who provided them with a "scanning device" capable of reading wireless tags stores place inside the clothes. According to the warrant, the scanners work from a distance of 30 metres, and can read the sales history associated with the tags to tell investigators whether an item has ever legitimately cleared the shop floor. Officers conducted a scan of Zeng's home from a public roadway and private property, allegedly locating 18 Lululemon items "listed as having been stolen from various stores in the Greater Vancouver area." In paperwork filed with the court after the execution of the search warrant, police claim to have found hundreds of Lululemon items, bulk gift cards and reams of Chanel cosmetics in Zeng's house. They also seized a baggie containing $5,000 from the glove box of her Honda. 'I don't see myself continuing honestly' Zeng has not responded to the lawsuit and could not be reached for comment. The CBC has obtained copies of court documents and recordings of criminal proceedings involving the prolific shoplifters named in the search warrant. The court record speaks to public concerns about a so-called 'revolving door' bail system that sees repeat offenders released from custody almost as soon as they are caught for new offences. Minh Ngoc Ta, the 33-year-old who sparked the investigation, appeared in Surrey provincial court Monday after being taken into custody in recent days following five releases in the last six months while awaiting trial on a growing list of theft charges. In April — the last time Ta was let out of custody — he was in a reverse onus position to prove he shouldn't stay in jail while the proceedings play out, but a judge released him into the care of a recovery program on a promise not to "attend" any Lululemon store in B.C. Arrest warrants were issued when he failed to show up for a routine appearance in May, and Ta now faces 24 theft charges in Vancouver, West Vancouver, Langley, Burnaby, Coquitlam and Surrey. His next appearance is set for Thursday. After Aaron Knight failed three times to comply with bail conditions that saw him barred from Bass Pro Shop, Marshalls, Winners and Lululemon, he was ordered into custody in May to await a pre-sentencing report next month on a raft of theft convictions. Knight's partner — Amber Cristina Rolston — is also in custody on charges that include breaching the conditions imposed in September 2024, the last time she pleaded guilty to stealing from Lululemon. At that hearing, a prosecutor read from a list of crimes. Rolston stole from a Burnaby Lululemon twice in once day. She and Knight took $16,000 worth of leggings from an Abbotsford Lululemon. And the pair took $4,222 of men's clothing from a Lululemon downtown. "What we see here is basically, she's rapidly escalating. She's stealing high-value items. She's in breach of her undertaking not to be in Lululemon," the prosecutor said. "There's really high frequency here. And there's a high value." Rolston was 32 at the time. The prosecutor described her as "pleasant." Her lawyer said she has struggled with heroin addiction and was living on income assistance. "I'm very remorseful and embarrassed," Rolston told Judge Patricia Stark. "I don't see myself continuing, honestly. I don't like this revolving door of the system I've put myself in." Stark appeared shocked by the situation. "You walked out the door and basically within four days were stealing again," she told Rolston. "These are not victimless crimes. You may think when you go to these stores that nobody suffers. But people do suffer. People own those stores. People work at those stores. People buy from those stores."
CTV News
28-05-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Man injured during Mental Health Act arrest in Surrey, B.C., watchdog says
Investigators from B.C.'s Independent Investigations Office are seen in this file photo from the IIO. A man was injured during a Mental Health Act arrest in Surrey, B.C., earlier this month, prompting an investigation by the province's police watchdog. The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. said the incident happened on the afternoon of May 9, while members of the Surrey RCMP Provincial Operations Support Unit were responding to a 'disturbance call' at a residential building near 34 Avenue and 152 Street. 'After arriving, officers located one man who had reportedly been in possession of a weapon and moved to detain him under the Mental Health Act,' the IIO said in a news release Tuesday. 'The man suffered injuries during the arrest process and was then taken to a hospital for treatment.' The watchdog didn't learn of the incident until May 21, when it was notified by the Surrey Police Service. It's unclear what led to the delay. An SPS spokesperson declined to comment when contacted by CTV News. An IIO spokesperson said these types of delays are typically the result of police being unaware of the severity of a person's injuries. 'Whether that was the case in this instance will be determined during the IIO investigation,' the spokesperson told CTV News, in an email. The IIO only investigates officer-involved incidents that result in death or serious harm, which includes injuries that cause serious disfigurement or disabilities. The watchdog is tasked with investigating those incidents whether or not there is any allegation of wrongdoing on the part of police.
Global News
17-05-2025
- Global News
Ontario murder sparks fear in B.C. due to extortion attempts
Harjeet Dhadda was shot dead on Wednesday outside his trucking business in Mississauga, Ont. The 51-year-old's family believes his murder is tied to an extortion call he got in 2023. 'They were cussing at him and when they were cussing at him they told him that they either want $500,000 or they will kill him,' Gurlin Dhadda, Harjeet's daughter, told Global News. 'He said he won't give them the money.' Dhadda reported the incident to the police. 1:51 Surrey RCMP investigating violent extortion attempt Dhadda's killing is being felt in B.C., where South Asian business owners have been targeted with similar threats. Story continues below advertisement 'It shocked me, like maybe next it's me,' Abbotsford businessman Jas Arora said. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy He told Global News he has faced more than 25 extortion attempts, including one last year. Arora said at that time that he'd been receiving threats since last summer and that during one phone call, the extortionist told him that police wouldn't do anything, knowing an officer was in the room with him. He is now worried that the escalation from threats to killing someone will push more victims to pay up, which will only lead to more extortion attempts. 'I'm scared to say this openly but I fear it's going to happen to me, or everyone again, and it's going to happen to new people,' Arora said. The RCMP launched a national task force last year to combat extortion, but community members say they are still waiting for results. 'We don't know what they're doing right now,' Satish Kumar, president of the Vedic Hindu Cultural Society said. 'They say they're working on that, but there's new things coming up again over here… they should take strong action. The laws should be changed.' Meanwhile, in Ontario, no arrests have been made in Dhadda's death or his extortion case.
CBC
16-04-2025
- CBC
Police seize 10 kilos of meth, arrest 6 accused of trafficking drugs from B.C. to Manitoba
Six people have been charged in connection with what police say was a drug-trafficking operation that brought narcotics from British Columbia to Manitoba. The Winnipeg Police Service's guns and gangs unit joined forces with Surrey RCMP on an investigation last December, which led to the southwestern B.C. force intercepting a Winnipeg-bound package containing 10 kilograms of methamphetamine and two kilograms of cocaine on Jan. 3, Winnipeg police said in a news release Wednesday The drugs had an estimated street value of $180,000, police said. Police say between January and March, they executed search warrants at the Stony Mountain federal prison just north of Winnipeg, along with several Winnipeg locations: a Donald Street apartment, a home on Main Street north of Kildonan Park, two commercial businesses on Main Street, and a commercial business on Sanford Street, near Polo Park mall. Police said over the course of their investigation, they seized more than $45,000 in Canadian currency, $36,000 worth of illegal cigarettes, drug trafficking materials and packaging, two stun guns, knives and cellphones, as well as three vehicles — two of which had altered vehicle identification number plates — and a utility trailer, which also had an altered VIN plate. The people arrested include a 46-year-old man from Surrey, B.C., two Winnipeg men — ages 42 and 36 — and a 24-year-old Winnipeg woman, all of whom are charged with trafficking meth and cocaine, among various other charges. All four are in custody, police said. A 30-year-old Winnipeg man is also facing methamphetamine trafficking and possession charges, among several other charges, and was released on an undertaking. A 40-year-old currently in custody at the Stony Mountain Institution has also been charged with cocaine trafficking and possession, three counts of possessing a weapon, and three counts of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.
