Latest news with #SurreyPoliceService
Global News
14 hours ago
- Global News
Surrey trucking company targeted twice in suspected extortion case
A Surrey business owner says his business was shot at early Thursday morning, about 24 hours after a previous incident. Raghbir Singh Nijjar, owner of Nijjar Trucking, which is in an industrial area in northwest Surrey, said someone shot at the building and the company cars parked in the lot. When Surrey Police Service officers arrived on the scene, they found bullet casings. No one was inured, even though staff were inside when the shooting happened, but the shooting happened just under 24 hours after vehicles were damaged at the same location. On Wednesday, June 18, at approximately 3:50 a.m., suspects used gasoline to damage vehicles but were scared off by on-site security. SPS officers arrived on scene and gathered evidence from this incident as well. Nijjar said that about a year ago, someone called his business and demanded money for the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Story continues below advertisement India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) describes the group as a criminal gang headed by Lawrence Bishnoi, whose lawyer says contests more than 40 cases accusing him of crimes such as murder and extortion. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Nijjar said they have reported everything to RCMP and Surrey police while the people have kept calling and asking for money. He said he is scared of what is going on. 'We (are) working every day,' he added. 'We (are doing) hard work. We (have been here) since '91. That's why we came over here (for) safety and (a) better future.' 2:15 Maple Ridge shooting believed tied to extortion attempts Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton with the Surrey Police Service would not confirm on Thursday that these incidents are linked to extortion. Story continues below advertisement 'Well, we'll be looking at all of the motives and all potential links, whether it's to past investigations and this current investigation, as with any investigation, we have to let the evidence dictate the course of that investigation,' he said. 'It may turn out that it is related to previous investigations or previous incidents, but we have to let the investigation take its course.' This incident comes after a home in Maple Ridge was shot at twice in what is believed to be linked to an extortion attempt and last week, the brazen murder of an Abbotsford man with no known criminal ties reignited extortion fears in B.C.'s Lower Mainland. In this case, SPS's Frontline Investigative Support Team (FLIST) has assumed conduct of both investigations. Anyone with information about this incident should contact the SPS non-emergency line at 604-599-0502 and quote file number 25-50413 (SP) or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or
CTV News
3 days ago
- CTV News
93-year-old woman dead after Surrey crash
Police on scene after a fatal collision in Surrey on June 17, 2025. A two-vehicle crash in Surrey Tuesday morning left one driver dead, according to authorities. First responders were called to the scene on 92 Avenue between 156 and 158 streets around 10:30 a.m., the Surrey Police Service said in a news release. 'Despite life-saving medical interventions, a 93-year-old woman, the driver of one of the vehicles, died,' the statement said. 'At this early stage, the cause of the collision remains unknown.' Police are asking anyone who witnessed the collision or who has dash-camera or CCTV video from the area to call 604-599-0502 and quote file 2025-34281.
Global News
4 days ago
- Global News
Surrey police search for 12-year-old girl who went missing almost a week ago
Surrey police are appealing to the public to help find a 12-year-old girl who has been missing for almost a week. Siarra Bartha was last seen on June 10, 2025, at approximately 4:30 p.m., leaving her home in the 11300 block of Landsdowne Drive in Surrey. Bartha is described as five-foot-two, approximately 100 pounds, with maroon-coloured shoulder-length hair and blue eyes. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy She was last seen wearing black tights, a grey tank top and white Nike sneakers. Police said it is out of character for her to not make contact with her community support for this long. Anyone who has any information about Bartha is asked to contact Surrey Police Service's Missing Persons Unit at 604-599-0502 or the non-emergency phone number at 604-599-0502 and quote file 25-32870 (SU). Story continues below advertisement
Vancouver Sun
7 days ago
- Vancouver Sun
Surrey police vow to tackle extortion threats 'head on'
Concerned that not all victims of an extortion scheme targeting members of B.C.'s South Asian community have come forward, Surrey police are urging anyone who has received threats to contact them. 'It is critical to all of us … that we tackle this trend of extortions head on, with significant police resources and intelligence-led investigative work,' Surrey Police Service Chief Norm Lipinski said Friday. 'It is equally important that we collaborate with the victims and the broader community so we can deal with this issue together.' The extortion scheme, which has been reported in cities across Canada , often involves a letter, phone call or social media message demanding money and threatening violence. The person often references criminal connections and activities outside Surrey, said police. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Over the past six month, there have been 10 reports of extortion attempts in Surrey. But the scheme goes back farther than that, with threats and drive-by shootings first reported in B.C. in 2023. The murder of businessman Satwinder Sharma at his Fleetwood office on Wednesday afternoon has heightened tensions even more. Homicide investigators believe the shooting was targeted, and have not linked it to the extortion scheme. Satish Kumar, another Surrey businessman whose banquet hall was shot at earlier this week after he received a threatening phone call, is helping to organize a public safety forum at Reflections Banquet Hall on Sunday. He said it is important not to give in or the demands will escalate. 'I'm not afraid. The maximum they can do is kill me. I'm ready for that shot, and my family is ready for that shot. What happens, happens. You die one time, what are you going to do?' he told Postmedia on Thursday. Surrey Police will be at the forum, which starts at 2 p.m. They said investigators are working with the RCMP and other regional police agencies with similar investigations and remain in contact with the RCMP national coordination and support team. Surrey Police also has its own extortion investigation team to respond to all reported extortion attempts in parts of Surrey where SPS is leading operations during the police transition. They have also stepped up patrols in business areas. RCMP Chief Supt. Wendy Mehat, the officer in charge of Surrey RCMP during the transition, said police are worried there could be other victims who may have complied with extortion demands. 'We discourage anyone from responding to such demands. Officers are working to prevent these traumatizing situations and to hold those responsible to account,' she said. Surrey journalist Gurpreet Sahota said he has learned that two people came into Sharma's office on the second floor of an office complex near 84 Avenue and 160 Street under the pretence of seeking work. Police responded to an emergency call about a shooting at 3:45 p.m. They found Sharma suffering from life-threatening injuries. He died at the scene. The office complex houses 15 businesses, including a hair salon, dentist and travel agency. Staff in some of the other offices hid under their desks after hearing gunshots. Sahota said he had spoke to a friend of Sharma who confirmed the businessman had been the target of an extortion attempt two years ago, but believed the shooting might not be related. 'Everybody is scared, especially people with money,' Sahota told Postmedia on Thursday. 'It feels like nobody is listening or taking these issues seriously.' Sharma was involved in several B.C. businesses, including Dynamic WorkForce , which claims to be B.C.'s largest provider of farm labour. B.C. employment records show the company is authorized to hire more than 300 employees as a farm labour contractor. In 2024, Sharma was honoured at the South Asian Construction Excellence Awards as best builder of the year in the single-family home category. The company's website says it has completed projects in Maple Ridge, South Surrey, Coquitlam and Mission. Court records also show Sharma was once part-owner of a B.C. sawmill. On Thursday, a police car was parked outside his family's estate in Abbotsford. At one point, dozens of guests arrived, parking at the side of the quiet rural road. Signs on the black wrought-iron gate warned that the premises was protected by video surveillance. Reached by phone, family members declined to speak to Postmedia. gluymes@
Global News
7 days ago
- Global News
Surrey police launch counter-extortion team amid growing fears
A series of reports of extortion from people and businesses in the South Asian community has prompted a wider investigation by police in Surrey, B.C. The Surrey Police Service says in a statement that it is working with provincial and national RCMP to help in their investigations, as numerous Canadian police agencies have reported similar crimes. Police say they've had 10 complaints over the last six months of people getting letters, phone calls or social media messages demanding money under threats of violence. The service says it has launched its own extortion investigations team and will be attending a public safety forum on Sunday in the city organized by members of the South Asian community. 2:00 Two Delta men arrested in murder of 51-year-old Brampton man Similar extortion threats emerged last year and violence that followed included arsons and shootings, which police in Ontario, Alberta and B.C. said were linked to organized crime in the Indian state of Punjab. Story continues below advertisement Surrey Police Chief Norm Lipinski says it's important to tackle the trend of extortions head-on, but it's equally important to collaborate with victims and the broader community to deal with it together. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy RCMP Chief Supt. Wendy Mehat, with the Surrey Provincial Operations Support Unit, says they are concerned there may be more victims who have complied with demands and haven't gone to police. 'We discourage anyone from responding to such demands. Officers are working to prevent these traumatizing situations and to holding those responsible to account.'
