A Surrey man is among three Lower Mainland residents facing charges, following a six-month investigation that led police to a Surrey warehouse stashed with "hundreds of thousands of dollars" in stolen merchandise.

According to a news release issued Thursday (May 15), Burnaby RCMP began an investigation last summer, after receiving a report on Aug. 6 that three shipping containers with approximately $125,000 worth of merchandise had been stolen from a business in the 7900-block of North Fraser Way.

The Mounties' Prolific Offender Suppression Team (POST) took the lead, and a few days later, recovered the containers empty at a property in Port Coquitlam.

On Nov. 29, another shipping container and semi-trailer with approximately $60,000 worth of merchandise was reported stolen from the same business, the release continues.

During a warehouse search executed Feb. 20 in Surrey, POST officers and members of the Burnaby detachment's Community Response Team seized a Freightliner tractor, a forklift, 51 pallets of toilet paper, 42 pallets of paper towel, two pallets of beer and five pallets of food.

Several suspects were identified, and search warrants were executed March 5 at three Lower Mainland residences, the release states.

A Surrey man, aged 54, along with a 40-year-old Richmond man and a 48-year-old New Westminster man, are facing potential charges of theft over $5,000, trafficking in property obtained by crime and possession of property obtained by crime.

Noting such 鈥渓arge-scale thefts" impact the community as a whole, Burnaby RCMP Cpl. Mike Kalanj said a "good portion" of the stolen goods have been returned to the rightful owner.

The investigation is ongoing.