Surrey thief loses truck to civil forfeiture after stealing multiple car batteries

The province has seized and will auction off a Surrey man’s truck, after he used the vehicle in a string of car battery thefts.

William Burgess was convicted on a pair of counts of theft for stealing the batteries late last month, according to the North Vancouver RCMP.

It happened after the Lynnmour area of North Vancouver was hit by four dozen battery thefts in August, 2018.

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North Vancouver RCMP said investigators learned that similar thefts were taking place in several other Metro Vancouver municipalities, and after sharing information such as photos and videos from business security cameras, police were able to identify Burgess.

Mounties said Burgess was caught in the act and arrested while under police surveillance, and that a warrant executed at his home turned up batteries and other property.

Police then referred the case to the province’s Civil Forfeiture Office, which won a court ruling confiscating Burgess’ 2005 GMC Canyon Truck, which he used in the commission of the thefts.

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