Missing property from the Langley and Lower Mainland area may be among stolen items recovered by Edmonton police.
A statement issued by the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) on June 11 said three suspects who were arrested in January are believed to be responsible for a string of property thefts over a three-year period that ranged across B.C. and Alberta.
When the trio was arrested in Edmonton in January, they were driving a stolen cube van that had been rented in Innisfail, Alta. using stolen identity documents.
It was carrying what police said was a large quantity of allegedly fraudulent documents and stolen property including mail, financial documents, credit cards, forged identity documents and stolen identity documents, such as driver’s licences and social insurance cards.
Investigators also recovered break-and-enter tools.
A second vehicle that was reportedly stolen by way of identity theft in Calgary was also recovered in Innisfail.
EPS investigators believe the three committed a series of crimes across B.C. and Alberta from late 2016 to early 2019, beginning in Metro Vancouver and moving through the southern interior of B.C. and southern Alberta, until they were arrested in Edmonton.
Personal items recovered may belong to people from several communities in either province, “including but not limited to, Squamish, Surrey, Delta, Langley, Vancouver, Okotoks, Calgary and Edmonton” the EPS statement said.
Among the recovered personal items were numerous pieces of jewelry, specialty spoons, comic books, stamps and a camera.
Police believe that these items, along with many of the recovered identity and financial documents, were stolen during break-and-enters or thefts from vehicles. Often only a small number of these items are listed as stolen. While some recovered items were returned to their owners, several remain unclaimed.
Photos of the recovered stolen property can be found on the EPS Pinterest page in hopes the original owners will come forward and claim them.
Anyone who spots their stolen property can email EPSPinterest@edmontonpolice.ca.
So far, 130 charges have been laid against the three.
Jennilee Weiler, 30, was issued 47 charges including possess stolen credit card, obtain/possess identity information, , possess stolen property and possess offensive weapon dangerous to the public. Weiler was also arrested for 45 outstanding warrants from Alberta and British Columbia, including theft, break-and-enter, mischief, VIN tampering and possess stolen vehicle over $5,000.
Jason Fletcher, 32, was issued 45 charges including made/possess identity document, obtain/possess identity information, possess stolen credit card, theft of motor vehicle and fraud over $5,000.
Adam Laderoute, 37, was issued 38 charges including made/possess identity document, possess stolen credit card, possess stolen property, obtain/possess identity information and possess offensive weapon dangerous to the public.
“Discovering large quantities of stolen or forged identity and financial documents in the course of conducting stolen property investigations is unfortunately becoming increasingly common,” said Const. Brendan Power with STAT. “Often citizens may be unaware that their identity documents are being used to commit crimes, including frauds and thefts.”
Officers would like to remind citizens to keep their identity and financial documents in a secure location and avoid leaving them, along with any other valuables, in vehicles. If you are a victim of a break-and-enter, theft from vehicle, or if government identification is otherwise lost or stolen, report it to police as soon as possible.
“Unfortunately these documents are frequently not reported missing or stolen to police,” said Power. “Reporting can significantly reduce the time it takes to return these documents and other property to their rightful owners.”
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