The province has seized almost $13,000 in cash from a man convicted of an inside-job computer theft from a 91Ô´´ Best Buy.
In November last year, the 91Ô´´ RCMP were called out by loss prevention staff at the Best Buy warehouse regarding tens of thousands of dollars of iPhones, iPads, and computers.
A suspect was arrested quickly, said Cpl. Holly Marks, spokesperson for the 91Ô´´ RCMP.
Officers from the Street Enforcement Unit then took over the investigation, and searched a Port Coquitlam house.
It appears the electronics were being sold on Craigslist. Along with the cash, police found $23,000 worth of electronics that hadn’t yet been sold.
The suspect, Wei-Chun Eric Wang, 23, was charged with theft under $5,000, pleaded guilty, and received a conditional discharge on June 13.
After the conviction, Constables Mike Schnerch, the asset forfeiture coordinator for 91Ô´´, and Anders Galasso of the Street Enforcement Unit put together a submission for the Civil Forfeiture Office.
The cash has now been ordered seized by the government.
The money will not stay in 91Ô´´ directly. Cash and goods – from cars to boats to houses – seized as proceeds of crime is used to fund the Civil Forfeiture Office, and crime prevention programs around the province.