CALGARY — Police in Calgary have laid charges in an insurance fraud scheme believed to date back to 2009 and involving semi-trailer trucks.
Police say they noticed an increase in semi-truck thefts in 2019 from previous years and noted that a significant number of the vehicles hadn't been recovered.
An investigation identified Calgary company Lakha Trucking as having reported numerous semis stolen since 2009.
Police allege the transport trucks were never stolen, but were reported as such so as to receive insurance payments.
Investigators allege the semis were given a fraudulent vehicle identification number and sold or used to commit additional frauds.
Three people from Calgary are facing charges that include fraud over $5,000 and uttering forged documents.
The are to appear in court April 9.
Calgary police worked with law enforcement partners in Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and North West Territories to recover seven of the vehicles.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 27, 2020
The Canadian Press