BURNABY RCMP’s Prolific Offender Suppression Team (POST) has arrested four men and recovered over $300,000 worth of stolen and fraudulently obtained items, which are believed to be tied to what could be a large-scale fraud operation.

On March 3, two industrial printers capable of printing driver’s licences, bank drafts, credit cards and other identification documents were fraudulently purchased from a business in Burnaby. The printers were valued at approximately $97,000.

On March 14, two excavators and a generator were fraudulently purchased from a different business in Burnaby using a forged bank draft. These items were valued at more than $215,000.

On April 26, Burnaby RCMP’s POST executed a search warrant at a property in the 17600-block of Kennedy Road in Pitt Meadows. During the search police located two excavators, two industrial printers and various indicators that the location was an organized fraud factory.

Along with the excavators and industrial printers, hundreds of items were seized. They included numerous printers, hard drives, network storage, laser engravers, a VIN plate stamping machine and modifying tools, hundreds of fraudulent identification cards and blank identification cards, blank bank draft paper a handgun and ammunition.

Police are investigating several offences, including:

* Fraud over $5,000
* Uttering forged documents
* Theft over $5,000
* Possession of stolen property over $5,000
* Identification fraud
Four men were arrested at scene, but have since been released. The investigation is ongoing.

“Identity theft and fraud are serious criminal offences that can have a significant impact on the lives of victims and the viability of businesses,” said Inspector Matt Toews, Burnaby RCMP’s Investigative Services Officer. “The discovery and seizure of this potential fraud factory will put a sizable dent in the criminal activity of this group.”