The Laval Police say there has been an increase in criminal activity within its territory related to the Pokémon card phenomenon, and that this rapidly growing market is attracting the attention of malicious actors.
Investigators from the LPD’s Crimes Against Persons Unit recently arrested ten suspects in connection with several armed robberies – four of which involved the sale of Pokémon cards.
Three of these incidents were publicly shared by the LPD “to raise awareness of the speed and intensity of these crimes and, above all, to educate citizens about safety precautions,” the LPD said in a statement.
The suspects allegedly contacted victims through the Facebook Marketplace transaction platform to arrange the sale of Pokémon cards or MacBooks.
The victims would then go to a public place with the item for sale. At the time of the transaction, the suspects allegedly used violence to force the victims to hand over the stolen item and flee without paying.
Since January 1 last year, the LPD recorded 30 incidents related to Pokémon cards. Of these, eleven occurred since March 1 this year, indicating a recent increase. Seven of the incidents involved acts of violence, said the LPD, including pepper spraying.
A total of 13 searches were also conducted to gather evidence for the charges, as well as for other cases related to the wave of MacBook thefts. The operation required the involvement of several dozen investigators, the LPD’s Azimut Brigade, regular patrol officers and the LPD’s Tactical Intervention Group.
On June 9 and 11, investigators arrested ten young men aged 16 to 18. According to the LPD, some were released on a promise to appear in court with conditions, while two remained in custody. They face charges including armed robbery, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, assault and possession and trafficking of property obtained by crime.
Laval man arrested in Ontario on suspicion of organized car theft
A man from Laval is one of five suspects arrested in the Ontario regional municipality of Halton on suspicion of organized car theft and other criminal offenses.
Ahmad Fares, 33, of Laval faces charges on various counts ranging from auto theft to identity fraud and possessing break-in tools. A vehicle theft investigation in nearby Milton in March led investigators to a residence in Brampton in Ontario.
Further information obtained in April connected the suspects to 13 auto thefts and attempted thefts in the Halton region as well as an act of auto larceny in the Waterloo Ontario area.
Police charged four Quebec residents and one Mississauga man on a number of theft and break-in charges.
17-year-old recovering after impalement in car accident
A 17-year-old boy was considered to be out of danger earlier this month after being impaled by a fence post during a serious car crash in Laval.
The collision happened shortly before 3 a.m. on des Oiseaux Blvd. near Héron in Laval’s Sainte-Rose district. Four young people between the ages of 15 and 19 were inside a Honda Civic that was travelling at a high rate of speed when the driver lost control.
The vehicle struck a lamppost, crashed through a cedar hedge and a fence, and came to rest in the backyard of a residence, stopping just short of an in-ground swimming pool.
Police say a 17-year-old passenger seated in the back of the vehicle was impaled by a fence post during the crash. He was taken to hospital in critical condition and underwent surgery. The three other occupants of the vehicle did not suffer serious injuries.
Laval man arrested for alleged arson in Ontario
A Laval man has been charged with arson after multiple unoccupied homes were set alight in the Adjala-Tosorontio region north of Toronto two years ago.
The Ontario Provincial Police say OPP officers executed a search warrant on June 10 at a residence in Laval.
The OPP’s major crimes unit, with assistance from the Laval Police and OPP officers in Hawkesbury in Ontario, conducted a search at the suspect’s Laval home where he was arrested.
Ramin Lazar, 34, of Laval, has been charged with arson and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence. Lazar, who is the seventh suspect facing charges related to the incidents, was released with a July 2 court date with the Ontario Court of Justice in Ontario.
Recent fires in Laval
June 15 | 10:41 PM // Building fire on Curé-Labelle Boulevard in the Chomedey sector.
Commercial building.
Fire contained in a restaurant kitchen and spread to the roof.
The code was 10-12, necessitating a second alarm.
