A “high-stakes, fast paced” investigation by North Vancouver RCMP into a mail-order handgun purchase has led to seven charges against a North Vancouver resident.

See also

• North Vancouver driver arrested for impaired driving, 3 hours after driving suspension
• North Vancouver RCMP seek man who allegedly exposed himself to 13-year-old girl
• Police renew appeal after youth’s skull pierced by ski pole on Grouse Mountain

In a release on Tuesday, police said the investigation began on the morning of April 30, when North Vancouver RCMP received information from RCMP in Armstrong, BC, about a fraudulent transaction involving the private sale of a handgun to a buyer in North Vancouver.

With the assistance of a police negotiator, the Serious Crimes Unit made an arrest in less “than 24 hours.”

According to North Vancouver RCMP Sgt. Peter DeVries, time was of the essence in this case. “We absolutely did not want another illegal handgun to make it to the street,” he said. “So we jumped on it.”

Police “worked hard, worked smart, and worked fast,” he added.

Then, on May 23, the BC Prosecution Service approved seven separate charges against 29-year-old Trevor Glenn Beaton. These include:

• Possession of a Restricted Weapon Contrary to a Prohibition Order;
• Careless Handling of a Firearm;
• Unauthorized Possession of a Restricted Firearm;
• Possession of a Prohibited Weapon, Device or Ammunition;
• Possession of a Restricted Firearm While it is Loaded;
• Unlawful Possession of Identity Documents;
• Identity Theft