Richmond Mounties’ Quick Response Team (QRT) lived up to its name last week, after speeding to apprehend a pair of suspected armed robbers.
Shortly before 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 14, plain-clothed QRT officers from Richmond RCMP’s Delta Watch were conducting operations in the downtown core of Richmond when they overheard the robbery broadcast in the 4000 block of No. 3 Road, between Alderbridge Way and Cambie Road.
According to the report, the victims, two males in their early 20s, were robbed of their wallets and cell phones by a pair of suspects, armed with guns, who then fled southbound on foot.
The officers then tracked the male suspects to the 7900 block of Alderbridge Way, near its intersection with No. 3 Road, where they were promptly arrested.
Two replica firearms were recovered along with the personnel effects from the victims. Police said there were no reported injuries.
As a result of the arrests, Jinsu Kim, 22, has been charged with two counts of robbery and one count of use of an imitation firearm in the “commission of an offence.”
Dabin Jang, 19, has also been charged with two counts of robbery, one count of use of an imitation firearm in the commission of an offence and one count of disguising his face with intent to commit an offence.
Both accused are currently being held in custody.
“As a part of the detachment’s crime reduction strategy, (QRT) focuses their operations in areas where there has been an uptick in crime,” said Cpl. Ray Basi of the QRT.
“As a result, QRT members were in the right place at the right time to assist in safely apprehending these two individuals.”
Purse-snatchers tailed and arrested
Meanwhile, shortly before 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 16, plain-clothed QRT officers were conducting operations in the downtown core when they spotted two, suspicious young males near the Aberdeen Canada Line station.
The officers watched the suspects closely observing people around them and, when the two males began following a woman on foot from No. 3 and Browngate roads, the QRT moved into position.
They tailed the suspects all the way to Ackroyd Road, where they were still, apparently, following the woman.
It was there that the woman had her purse stolen and the suspects then fled on foot.
According to Richmond RCMP, the officers broke off into two teams, each pursuing one suspect.
Just before 7:30 p.m., one suspect was arrested near the 8000 block of Ackroyd Road and, a short time later, the other suspect was arrested nearby, in the 5500 block of Cooney Road.
No injuries were reported and the purse and its contents were recovered by the officers.
“The way these two suspects were looking at everyone really resonated with one our QRT officers,” said Richmond RCMP’s Cpl. Dennis Hwang.
“They were giving off this strange vibe, a non-verbal cue that something was about to happen. The suspects followed the woman on foot for well over 15 minutes. That’s quite a bit of time on foot. We do not believe that the woman realized she was being followed.”
Both suspects are males in their teens and from Richmond. The police are continuing with their investigation.
