Six men face possible fraud and mail theft charges after police seized nearly 1,600 bank cards, cheques, letters and pieces of identification from a Burnaby home.
Burnaby RCMP launched an investigation in October after two break-ins at an apartment building in the 6500 block of Telford Avenue, according to a news release Wednesday.
Investigators with the detachment's prolific offender suppression team identified a group of suspects and executed a search warrant at a house in the 5000 block of Belleville Avenue, the release said.
Four men were arrested at the scene, and police say a large number of "offence-related items" were seized, including 346 pieces of identification, 572 pieces of mail, 496 bank cards and 155 cheques.
The search also turned up an embossing machine and other items used in the manufacturing of false identification, according to the release.
Six men now face a number of possible fraud and theft charges related to the investigation.
"The proliferation of identity thefts is a serious issue which can cause significant financial hardship, and in some cases, financial devastation," Burnaby RCMP Insp. Matt Toews said in the release. "In this case, the thieves were organized and had equipment to mass-produce false identification. The large seizure of various identification and manufacturing equipment will have saved numerous victims from financial hardship."
The investigation is ongoing.
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