Coquitlam RCMP has opened an investigation into alleged thefts by seven fired city of Port Coquitlam employees.
Cpl. Mike McLaughlin confirmed Monday the detachment has received a complaint from the city and has started an investigation.
He also said there won’t be any further comment until the investigation is complete.
“It’s going to take weeks if not months,” said McLaughlin.
As first reported last week by The Tri-City News, the employees of the city’s engineering and operations department were let go in the last two weeks for allegedly stealing about $75,000 worth of copper pipes owned by the city over a 10-year period.
Each of the employees, whose time with the city varies from one and a half to 21 years, is alleged to have pocketed cash amounts ranging from less than $100 to $10,000.
PoCo's chief administrative officer, John Leeburn, told The Tri-City News last week that some were fired for theft and some for not disclosing information and for lack of cooperation during the city’s investigation.
Leeburn said it was “an incredibly co-ordinated, deceptive, covert, longstanding plan” that was executed.
He also said none of the employees received a severance because their terminations were considered for cause.
The dismissals came two months after a former PoCo facility maintenance co-ordinator was sentenced for stealing about $175,000 from the city over a three-year period. In May, Dean McIntosh received an 18-month conditional sentence order after he pleaded guilty in March to obtaining money over $5,000 by false pretences; he had used a city credit card and the purchasing system to buy tools and small machines, which were later resold via a third party.
McIntosh admitted to his illegal actions when confronted by city managers, apologized and showed them how he committed his crimes. He also reimbursed the city for the full amount.
– with file from Janis Cleugh
