BC man arrested for stealing $65,000 worth of property from wildfire victims
How low can someone go?
A BC resident has been arrested for allegedly stealing stolen property from residents that were forced to flee their homes due to the wildfires.
In a release, the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia, a division made up of several RCMP units, says they intensified their enforcement efforts within wildfire evacuated areas after receiving reports of a “potential prolific property offender” actively stealing from evacuees.
The widespread search for the suspect and their stash site led officers to a remote property in the Beaver Creek area near Williams Lake. They found approximately $65,000 worth of heavy equipment at the site.
As a result of the alleged offence, 38-year-old Big Lake resident Shane Brady has been arrested and charged with Possession of Stolen Property with a value greater than $5,000. He remains in police custody and his next court date is scheduled for July 20.
In the last two weeks since wildfires erupted across the province, there have been several other reports of individuals taking advantage of the precarious situation in a number of communities.
Ten people have been arrested in connection with a series of break-and-enters and charges of mischief in and around evacuated homes in Williams Lake and 100 Mile House.
In Quesnel, the town’s mayor has warned residents to be aware of people posing as fake fire marshals in an attempt to get people to evacuate their homes.
As of Monday morning, 40,000 people in BC have evacuated from their homes and another 20,000 are on evacuation alert.
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