Burnaby RCMP followed a trail of stolen rice to a Langley warehouse packed with $75,000 worth of stolen goods, including 3,200 pounds of rice and giant stashes of toilet paper, diapers and sandals.
On May 10, police got a report that a large shipping container full of rice worth about $20,000 had been stolen from a South Burnaby business, according to a police press release.
A tip from the public in mid-June alerted investigators to transactions of stolen rice being conducted online and in public, the release said.
Further investigation led police to a residence in Langley, and, on June 26, Burnaby RCMP’s prolific offender suppression team, strike force and frontline members descended on a Langley warehouse with a search warrant
They seized 3,200 pounds of rice, 26 pallets of sandals, 400 packages of paper towels, large quantities of toilet paper and diapers, one crate of ammunition and more than $1,500 in cash, according to the release.
Three people were detained and have since been released, according to Burnaby RCMP.
The investigation is ongoing, and charges will be forwarded to the B.C. Prosecution Service upon completion, police said.
“This warehouse contained a stockpile of stolen goods on a commercial scale and was located after diligent investigative efforts and coordination between a number of units at Burnaby RCMP,” Burnaby RCMP Insp. Matt Toews said in the press release.
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