Two arrested in online-scam cases - RCMP
Western Valley region detachment says man, woman arrested Monday suspected of Facebook Marketplace, Amazon theft schemes throughout New Brunswick, other provinces
Mounties arrested two suspects in New Brunswick on Monday in connection with an online scam investigation, the RCMP reports, and they’re now believed to be involved in numerous similar files throughout Canada.
The RCMP’s Western Valley Region detachment issued a news release Wednesday morning, advising that a 53-year-old man and a 44-year old woman, both of no fixed address, were arrested Monday on suspicion of numerous thefts - both in New Brunswick in several other provinces.
“Over the last year, a number of thefts have been reported across the Western Valley Region of the province in which the same man and woman have been the primary persons of interest; however, police [had] not been able to identify them,” the release said, but that changed Monday.
“On July 22, 2024, police received information from a member of the public in relation to these individuals, and were able to attend and arrest the two of them without incident.”
The Mounties have since discovered the suspects are persons of interest in theft files in Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
“The individuals would advertise items for sale online via Facebook Marketplace and Amazon, and once an interested buyer was identified, the two would make a list of items and proceed to steal them from different businesses,” the release said.
“They would then immediately ship the items to the buyer.”
The RCMP didn’t reveal the suspects’ names, and the news release didn’t say if they’d been remanded or if charges had been laid yet in provincial court.
Sonya Gilks, a spokesperson for the Fredericton Police Force, told the Fredericton Independent on Wednesday the force has no files believed to be connected to the suspects arrested up-river Monday.
The RCMP said its investigation is ongoing, and officers are trying to determine if there are other victims yet to come forward.
“If you are a victim of a similar occurrence, or if you have information that may help further the investigation, please contact the Western Valley Region RCMP at 506-325-3000,” the release said.
Those wishing to provide tips anonymously can do so by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), by downloading their secure P3 Mobile App or reporting information online through Secure Web Tips at www.crimenb.ca.
Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.