An investigation into a daytime burglary from a high-rise in the centre of Richmond led police to the discovery of a cache of firearms, ammunition and illegal drugs.
According to Richmond RCMP, two suspects broke into one of the units in a condo complex on Lansdowne Road, near No. 3 Road.
Once inside, the thieves stole high-value items, including jewellery and currency. No one was home in the unit at the time and the thieves fled before police arrived.
With the help of crime analysts, Richmond RCMP was able to quickly identify the suspects connected to the March 24 break-in.
And shortly after 7 p.m. on March 28, Richmond Mounties from the Property Crime Unit executed a search warrant on a residence in the 12000 block of 104th Avenue in Surrey.
As a result, two males were arrested and officers were able to locate items connecting them to the Richmond high-rise burglary. Also recovered were: four replica firearms; ammunition in various calibres; Airsoft pistol; flare gun; foreign currency; luxury handbags and purses; a variety of jewelry; fraudulent identity documents and a quantity of drugs.
Richmond RCMP also managed to connect this case to other Richmond-based crimes, as well as ones in Burnaby, Coquitlam and New Westminster. Charges are pending against the two suspects, ages 34 and 30, from Surrey. Both are known to police.
“Property crime has evolved into a multi-faceted and multi-jurisdictional endeavour,” said Richmond RCMP’s Cpl. Dennis Hwang.
“These are the challenges that exist in Richmond as well as in other jurisdictions. Solving these types of crimes requires intelligence sharing from our colleagues in other detachments and police departments.
“We all want the same thing – to apprehend those responsible for these types of crimes.”
Hwang said people should be reminded that, even in buildings with the highest security, the “weakest link is usually the human factor.
“If you live in multi-tenant building, it is important to make sure to watch the door closes to ensure no one is able to sneak in. This includes access to elevators and underground parking areas.”
