Vancouver (November 27, 2019) – North Vancouver Provincial Court sentenced Ali Serri to 15 months in prison for charges related to mail theft, identity theft, and use of stolen credit cards on November 22. Following an investigation, the West Vancouver police arrested Serri in April for being the ‘architect of an elaborate fraud and mail theft scheme’ targeting empty homes in West Vancouver’s British Properties starting March 2018. He acquired $16,396 with his scheme. Serri spent most of the money on his addictions gambling and buying methamphetamines.
The West Vancouver police implemented surveillance when multiple complaints on large scale mail theft were reported in February of this year, according to the North Shore News. As a result, in April, Ali Serri was arrested and charged with mail theft, identity theft, and use of stolen credit cards. ‘The surveillance […] revealed that the accused [Ali Serri] is a serial, determined, persistent and patient fraud artist,’ said Judge Joanne Challenger during the sentencing hearing.
The 42-year-old Serri started in March 2018 targeting empty homes in West Vancouver’s British Properties. Since the mansions were mostly owned by foreigners, the houses were vacant most of the time. Thus, Serri was able to steal their mail as soon as the Canada Post truck left. With the mail, he stole the personal information of the homeowners and used it to apply for credit cards.
Thereafter, he purchased expensive computers, gift cards, and withdraw money with the fraudulently obtained credit cards. Nevertheless, Serri spent most of the money on his addictions gambling and methamphetamines. He defrauded mostly businesses and banks out of a total of $16,396, according to the North Shore News.
After Serri had pled guilty, Judge Joanne Challenger called him the ‘architect of an elaborate fraud and mail theft scheme’ of which she sentenced him to 15 months in prison in North Vancouver Provincial Court on November 22.
