Police say a Surrey man and Mission woman are allegedly responsible for stealing $130,000 in merchandise from stores around the Lower Mainland and selling stolen goods online.
Alan Smith, 30, and Kimberly Gascon, 27, are each charged with five counts of theft under $5,000, trafficking property obtained by crime, and possession of stolen property over $5000.
Smith is also charged with assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest.
Surrey RCMP say they received a tip that a man and woman were selling large quantities of new merchandise through an online classified site at half the retail price.
The Property Crime Target Team investigated in partnership with several retail chains that were victims of theft.
Investigators found the pair was allegedly stealing high demand items, storing them, then selling and shipping them to online buyers.
Search warrants were used to search a car, residence and storage locker which led to $130,000 in stolen merchandise being found, police say.
The two were then arrested, but Smith allegedly attempted to flee and assaulted an officer.
Police say after going through all the stolen goods, they’ve been unable to return everything to the businesses they were stolen from. Surrey RCMP hope the release of the two suspects’ photos will lead to more victims coming forward.
Smith is described as six feet one inches tall, 170 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair. Police say Gascon is five feet two inches tall, 155 pounds with brown eyes and hair, and three butterfly tattoos on her upper left arm.
“Thanks to our partners in the community, this duo’s crime spree was brought to a halt by fast acting officers,” say Corporal Scotty Schumann. “This investigation led officers across the Lower Mainland and these arrests will no doubt save retailers huge sums of revenue in the future. If you recognize either of these persons please contact the Surrey RCMP.”
Anyone with more information is asked to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or Crime Stoppers, if they wish to remain anonymous, at 1-800-222-TIPS or www.solvecrime.ca.