Surrey Mounties say a 46-year-old man has been arrested and charged after they recovered six guns, stolen electronics, and what they believe to be illegal drugs and scales in connection with an alleged home robbery in the city’s Fleetwood neighbourhood.
Police believe four of the firearms were stolen from other break-ins across the Lower Mainland.
RCMP were called to the home near 163rd St. and 112th Ave. on Jan. 6, when the homeowners reported around $15,000 of property had been taken.
Investigators followed a tip to a shop in Langley that was allegedly selling one of the things that had been stolen – which was retrieved, and a suspect was identified.
Later, on Jan. 23, officers executed a search warrant at a home in Abbotsford in the 34000-block of Larch St., where the firearms, property, and drugs were seized.
Richard Thompson has been charged with one count each of trafficking in property obtained by crime, possession of a loaded handgun without authorization or a license, possession of a firearm knowing it wasn’t registered, and unsafe storage of a firearm.
In a statement, Cpl. Scotty Schumann, with Surrey RCMP, said when officers were executing their warrant on the Abbotsford property, several people came forward to say they’d seen what they thought was illegal activity, but hadn’t reported it.
“The Surrey RCMP reminds the public to trust your intuition and call your police or CrimeStoppers when you see suspicious activity in your neighbourhood,” he said.
Thompson has since appeared in court and been released on bail, with conditions.