The Alberta RCMP's auto theft unit has laid six charges against St. Albert resident Nancy Ma after two vehicles were recovered that had been re-VINed, RCMP say.
“In late April 2023, the Alberta RCMP Auto Theft Unit began an investigation into vehicles that were suspected to be re-VINed and registered in St. Albert,” an RCMP media release reads. “As a result of the investigation, on Jan. 10, 2024, the Alberta RCMP Auto Theft Unit with assistance from the St. Albert RCMP, executed a search warrant at a residence in St. Albert.”
“Officers recovered a BMW 330XI and an Infiniti Q50 both of which had been re-VINed.”
VIN stands for vehicle identification number, which are codes used by automotive manufacturers to keep track of each individual vehicle made.
Alberta RCMP's Cpl. Troy Savinkoff explained that generally people re-VIN a stolen vehicle in order to sell it to an unsuspecting buyer to make money.
“When you are looking at re-VINing vehicle, you're looking at actually capturing the value of that vehicle,” Savinkoff said. “[People can] resell it for a significant portion of money and reap financial benefits from it.”
Savinkoff said that most vehicles that are stolen aren't usually stolen for the purpose of making money, unlike this alleged case in St. Albert, rather vehicles are commonly stolen just to be used for a short amount of time or to commit other crimes with.
The two vehicles that were recovered at the St. Albert residence have a combined value of about $60,000, the release states.
Ma, 44, is facing two charges of possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000; two charges of fraudulent concealment; and two charges of uttering forged documents, according to the release.
Ma is scheduled to appear in the Alberta Court of Justice in St. Albert on Feb. 26.
