Information-age arrests
Kamloops RCMP Const Cheryl Bush with palmfuls of pilfered credit cards: “Every one of these individuals may have a story of how their credit was compromised and, what that will add up to, who knows?” she said of those whose information was compromised.
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Updated: October 28, 2009 5:45 PM
“An overwhelmingly large amount of personal data” is how Mounties are describing evidence seized from an Ashcroft home as part of a major fraud bust last week.
Police confirmed some of the stolen information belongs to Kamloops residents.
On Wednesday, Kamloops RCMP released more information on the investigation, including putting on display a table-full of items seized from the home used in the credit-card operation.
Among the items recovered were dozens of stolen credit cards, stolen personal identification, forged credit cards, forged provincial driver’s licences, temporary operating permits, three laptop computers, two computer towers, an embossing machine and a .22 calibre rifle.
Also seized were hundreds of computer discs filled with thousands of pieces of credit-card information.
The RCMP’s property-crime unit assisted Ashcroft RCMP in the investigation that ended with the arrest of a 22-year-old man in Cache Creek on Oct. 23.
Corey Richard Harkness is facing several charges related to the bust, including forging a credit card, unauthorized possession/use of a credit card, unauthorized use of credit-card data and possession of a credit-card forging instrument.
Police said Harkness has a criminal record and was on a conditional sentence order for similar offences.
A second man who showed up at the house while police were there was also arrested.
The 30-year-old man’s name was not released, but he was arrested for being in possession of a fraudulent credit card and B.C. driver’s licence.
While the investigation is ongoing, Mounties believe many of the items were obtained from break and enters, mail theft, and theft from vehicles.
RCMP Const. Cheryl Bush said investigators don’t believe the two suspects are linked to organized crime, but the size of the operation does suggest others may be involved.
What the RCMP can’t say is how many victims were targeted, nor can it put a dollar figure on the fraud.
A debit PINpad was also recovered, but investigators are unsure if the operation is related to a skimming scam uncovered last year in Kamloops that pilfered thousands of dollars from a number of residents.
Investigators now have the task of sifting through all the evidence and linking the recovered cards and identification back to their original owners.
Bush said the process will take some time.
“Every one of these individuals may have a story of how their credit was compromised and, what that will add up to, who knows?” she said.
Bush suggested the bust should serve as a reminder to the public not to leave identification in their vehicles.
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