Cargo Thieves Still at Large in Lower Mainland

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LANGLEY, B.C. – Between Jan. 19 and 20, armed gunmen robbed two truck drivers of their freight within 12 hours, prompting Langley RCMP to speculate the incidents are linked.

On Jan. 19, a trucker was returning to his rig after eating at a restaurant at Hwy. 1 and 232nd St., when he was surprised by a man with a gun hiding in the sleeper of his truck.

The gunman tied the driver up while other thieves unloaded the trailer of about $200,000 worth of stereo equipment.

That incident took place at about 9:30 p.m.

At 5:30 a.m. Jan. 20, another trucker was confronted by an armed man at a red light at 200th St. and 91st Ave.

This driver was also tied up while suspects unhooked the trailer and drove away with approximately $4.2 million in cigarettes.

“They’re very similar, in the same city, and so close together,” Langley RCMP Cpl. Dale Carr told local media.

“This is not something that is really prevalent, but it does happen from time to time.”

Imperial Tobacco spokeswoman, Christiana Dona, blamed the second robbery on high tobacco taxes in the province of B.C.

“Today more than 10 million contraband cigarettes will be available for sale, and the province of B.C. will lose $1.74 million in tax revenues,” she said to local media. “Higher taxes can have unintended consequences.” As Truck News went to press, there was still no word of any arrests.

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Truck News is Canada's leading trucking newspaper - news and information for trucking companies, owner/operators, truck drivers and logistics professionals working in the Canadian trucking industry.


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