STEAL CURTAIN
Since March 1, cops have used software to ID suspects in 17 probes of theft and break-and-enter, and have recovered about $21,500 worth of stolen property
When Ken Roath started working for the pawnshop his parents opened in 1967, they used to submit a typewritten list of items they took in by walking it over to the police detachment.
Today, Roath’s son sends the information to police using new electronic software that is able to check the items through a national police database to identify stolen goods — a system police say has streamlined the process and helped investigators catch suspected thieves.
“Having to go through every item and enter it manually was not a very efficient system,” said Surrey RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Elenore Sturko. “With this new system, the reports are uploaded by the stores in the city and automatically forwarded to police.”
The switch to the new electronic system required a bylaw update, which was enacted by council earlier this year.
Every day, the city’s six pawnbrokers and three second-hand dealers submit a list — ranging from a handful of items and into the hundreds — of pawned items to police with the item’s description and, if available, model numbers and serial numbers. Once a week, the automated system runs the information through the Canadian Police Information Centre, which then generates an alert if there’s a match.
The rest is good old-fashioned police work.
“Once it’s identified (as a stolen item), we work with pawnshops to identify the suspects,” said Sturko.
Since March 1, when the new system was fully implemented, police have identified suspects in 17 investigations of theft and break-and-en- ter from Surrey, Vancouver, Burnaby and other municipalities and have recovered about $21,500 worth of stolen property. Two people have been charged with a string of property-related crimes. Police have also forwarded charges against two other suspects to the Crown.
“There’s other ongoing investigations,” said Sturko. “We could likely see that number grow.”
To help police match stolen goods with reported items, Sturko recommends people keep a copy of the serial numbers of items such as computers, appliances or cellphones and take photos or have descriptions for other goods.
At 104 Pawn Shop in Whalley, The Huynh was enthusiastic about the new system, which he said is quicker than his previous method of sending the information to police by fax, and also quicker for police to identify fenced goods.
Since it came into effect, police had flagged five items, including a camera, a piece of jewelry and a cellphone, as stolen, seized them and returned them to their owners.
“It’s a good thing. They know right away (if an item is stolen) and they come to pick it up,” said Huynh.
Roath, who owns Roath’s Pawn Shop on King George Boulevard, said the new system doesn’t make a difference to his store.
They have had no items seized by police in the last two years because his staff are very good at weeding out stolen goods at the counter, he said.
Property crime in Surrey decreased by six per cent in the first quarter of 2018, continuing a downward trend over the last three years, said RCMP.