ON February 6, Richmond RCMP Strike Force were conducting targeted enforcement for theft from autos in the Richmond core when they observed a male allegedly trying door handles on multiple parked cars.  Richmond Strike Force acted quickly and took the male into custody.

The male was identified as Coleton Szalay. Szalay had a Canada-wide warrant stemming from a robbery out of Vancouver as well as a warrant for theft under $5,000 out of Richmond.   In addition, two new charges have now been laid against him for possession of credit card data and possession of stolen property under $5,000.

“We are actively out there targeting people who are attempting to commit crimes in Richmond,” said Cpl. Tibor Paldy of Richmond RCMP Strike Force Team 2 on Tuesday. “They won’t see us coming but we are there ready to pounce”.

The mandate of Strike Force includes conducting proactive enforcement activities to address crime through project-based policing and proactive policing strategies.

While Richmond RCMP Strike Force and other units are actively out there targeting individuals allegedly committing crimes, assistance from the public is also needed, say RCMP who want to remind the public to not leave anything in their vehicles. Whether running in for a quick five-minute stop or grabbing lunch, it just takes seconds for a car to be broken into. 

“We regularly see wallets, electronics, backpacks and other valuables left in cars”, said Paldy, “By always taking these items with you, we can eliminate the ability for these opportunistic criminals to operate in Richmond”.

If you or anyone you know has had their vehicle broken into in Richmond, you can report it either by calling the non-emergency line at 604-278-1212 or through the online crime reporting tool.