IN January 2013, the Prolific Target Team of Coquitlam RCMP executed a search warrant at a residence in the 700 block of Capital Court in the Citadel Heights area of Port Coquitlam. At the time, a large scale credit card factory was located and seized. Police also found a significant amount of stolen mail, ID cards, stolen property, a firearm, controlled substances and other illegal property.
As a result, Port Coquitlam resident Alvin Chand was charged and later pled guilty to a series of criminal charges. Chand was sentenced to one year in custody and one year of probation.
RCMP Cpl. Scott Grimmer said Wednesday that upon Chand’s release in February 2014, it did not take long for the area surrounding his residence to start showing signs of criminal activity and became a source of neighbourhood complaints.
In late 2014 and early 2015, the Citadel Heights area was identified as a crime hotspot for a range of property crime by Coquitlam RCMP crime analysts. The Prolific Target Team immediately implemented a crime reduction tactical plan by targeting a person named Justin Roach.
Roach was later arrested by the team and it was alleged that he committed several offences in relation to possession of stolen mail. He had also been observed accompanying Chand on many occasions. Roach is facing 21criminal charges.
On February 19, the Prolific Target Team executed another search warrant at Chand’s residence. This time, investigators located what they believe to be a fully functioning credit card factory and seized the following:
* Equipment for making, creating and altering identification and credit cards
* Stolen mail from around the Lower Mainland
* A loaded hand gun and extra ammunition
* A shot gun and extra ammunition
* More than $10,000 cash
* Stolen property from around the Lower Mainland
* Tools used for stealing mail
* One high-end plasma cutter and two torque multiplier
* Controlled substances
* A high-end stolen bicycle
* A stolen motorcycle.
Alvin Chand was arrested and is facing the following charges:
* Possession of a loaded restricted firearm
* Possession of another person’s identity information for a fraudulent purpose
* Theft of mail
* Mischief to Canada Post box.
More charges are pending against Chand.
Investigators have confirmed the hand gun seized is a Glock 17 9 mm pistol, which was one of the firearms stolen in late 2012 at a sporting goods store in Port Coquitlam.
If you live around Chand’s residence in the 700 block of Capital Court in Port Coquitlam and witnessed anything suspicious in the past year up to the day he was arrested on February 19, police are asking you to contact the Prolific Target Team at 604-945-1550 with any information.
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