Prince George RCMP have conducted another highly successful home raid, resulting in confiscating a major cache of weapons from a city residence where they arrested the male home owner.
The search-warrant raid of weapons and ammunition occurred Jan. 21 in the 2600 block of Inlander Street attended by members of RCMP Drug Task Force, crime reduction team, downtown enforcement unit, general duty and North District criminal intelligence.
Cst. Dan Schenkeveld said the house contained weapons everywhere - even stuffed in a cooler - and included a loaded handgun lying on the floor "a few steps from a child's bedroom."
"It was particularly alarming that a child appears to be staying at the house and all of these firearms were stored insecurely and within easy reach of a child," Schenkeveld said during a news conference Friday.
Firearms seized include a loaded prohibited .25 caliber handgun with a seven-round magazine and matching concealment holder; a loaded prohibited .308 caliber rifle.; a loaded 12 gauge shotgun; a loaded .303 caliber rifle with a bi-pod (stand) and a 10-round magazine; a cross-bow with 12 bolts (arrows); prohibited brass knuckles; miscellaneous firearms parts, including what police perceive to be an attempt to build a homemade silencer; 843 rounds of ammunition in 14 calibers, gang paraphernalia and body armour.
Some drugs including ecstasy tablets, powder ecstasy and marihuana were also seized.
Schenkeveld said the suspect is well known to police with many prior convictions for serious firearms offences and is already subject to a firearms prohibition from the court.
He is facing dozens of charges and his name is being withheld until the charges are officially sworn, expected to occur later Friday. Police suspect the offender may be connected to local gangs since the house contained paraphernalia related to the Hell's Angels.
"We don't know if he is still involved with them," said Schenkeveld, who explained the suspect is considered a "prolific offender" meaning he's among the "worst of the worst offenders" involved in crime and pose the greatest risk to the public in terms of violence and ongoing crime.
The local "prolific offender program", which has been active here for about two years, involves the RCMP, parole and probation officers which, together, compare names and create a cohort list of offenders of the greatest concern.
The program doesn't stop there, but reaches out to the offenders to "try to reduce barriers to get them back on the right track, but at the same time make them understand that we carry a big stick," said Schenkeveld, noting the offenders issues can range from addictions to homelessness.
The RCMP feel they have had some "good busts" lately.
"We know there's been some instability among the gangs fighting for territory, and even when we get one sniff, we'll hound it out as far as we can go," said Schenkeveld.
"The more busts we get, the more the public responds, because it feels like it's contributing through the information it gives."
He added the RCMP teams "are sending a message" to the criminals out there.
"We know where you are and we're coming after you."
