A phone found at a SkyTrain station in New Westminster with child pornography on it has led to potential charges for a 61-year-old Coquitlam man.
The suspect was arrested, two years after the abandoned mobile phone was found at Braid SkyTrain Station, after courts approved the charges on Oct. 19.
This includes one count of possession of child pornography and one count of access child pornography, according to Metro Vancouver Transit Police (MVTP).
"Crime of any kind will never be tolerated on transit, especially that which exploits young children or other vulnerable groups," said MVTP spokesperson Const. Amanda Steed in a news release.
"Transit Police will always strive to ensure that those who cause harm to others are held accountable."
Steed explained a transit passenger found a lost phone on Oct. 13, 2021, on a bench at the Braid bus loop.
However, they called police after discovering images of young undressed kids while searching for the phone owner's contact information.
An investigation ensued over the next two years that identified the suspect from Coquitlam, who is not known to police, Steed said.
On Oct. 4, 2023, police uncovered more than 2,500 photos of child pornography on two computer hard drives that were seized via a search warrant from the suspect's home.
The suspect was released after his arrest last month on several conditions, including:
- no contact with any person under the age of 18
- no visits to any public park, public swimming area, daycare centre, school or playground
- no access any device capable of connecting to the internet
He's due back in court at the end of November, Steed added.
The MVTP's investigation included help from the New Westminster Police Department (NWPD), Abbotsford Police Forensic Unit, the BC Integrated Child Exploitation Team and the Vancouver Police Department Internet Child Exploitation Team.
