REAL SCOOP: VPD searching for gang conflict suspect
Credit to Author: Kim Bolan| Date: Fri, 30 Aug 2019 07:19:09 +0000
Vancouver Police issued a news release Thursday seeking the public’s help in locating a wanted man linked to the Lower Mainland gang conflict. And Surrey RCMP said two others allegedly involved in the same conflict have turned themselves on a variety of charges and will appear in court Friday.
Here’s my update:
Vancouver police are asking for the public’s help in finding a suspect in the Lower Mainland gang conflict who is wanted on a Canada-wide warrant.
Romano Ismail Martodihardjo, 45, is facing several firearms counts, as well as charges of possession of stolen property. He was charged in April 2018 as part of a joint police investigation dubbed Task Force Tourniquet into four major-crime groups linked to gun violence in the Lower Mainland.
The Vancouver Police Department said in a news release Thursday that Martodihardjo has dark skin, brown eyes and short brown hair. He’s 5-foot-5 and weighs about 170 pounds.
Originally from Alberta, police believed he has ties to Saskatoon. He has no other charges or convictions in B.C., according to the online court database.
His co-accused in the case, Dennis Ogilve, pleaded guilty last September to one count of theft under $5,000. The firearms charge he was facing was stayed. He was sentenced to 12 months’ probation.
Task Force Tourniquet, led by the Vancouver police, included officers from the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team and local municipal police departments and RCMP detachments. It was formed in March 2017 in response to increased gang violence in the Lower Mainland and led to over 200 charges against 34 people.
Anyone who sees Martodihardjo, or knows his whereabouts, should call 911 and not approach him. Anyone with information can contact the VPD at 604-717-2596.
And in Surrey, RCMP said that Shakiel “Pedro” Basra and Amarpreet Samra, who were wanted on Canada-wide warrants, turned themselves in on August 26.
They are facing multiple charges including unlawful confinement, assault with a weapon and uttering threats.
Both have previous convictions for kidnapping in Vancouver. Basra was sentenced in September 2017 to 394 days in the earlier case. And Samra was handed a 435-day term.