NORTH Vancouver RCMP have arrested the man they say was preying on the kindness of strangers and defrauding them.
The suspect is accused of pleading with strangers to give him a ride to North Vancouver's tow yard. During the drive he would spin a sob story about how he couldn't afford to get his vehicle out of impound and then con the Good Samaritans into giving him cash. The man does not even own a vehicle, police said.
Police allege the man did it six times between Feb. 22 and March 17 of this year.
Officers arrested George Wilson, a 49year-old of no fixed address on Wednesday.
Wilson, who is already well-known to police, is facing six charges of fraud, one count of breach of probation one count of extortion relating to an incident in which he allegedly forced a victim to remove money from a bank machine. He remains in custody pending a bail hearing on Mach 27.
"The North Vancouver RCMP would like to commend all victims and witnesses that came forward to assist the police in bringing charges against this individual," said Cpl. Richard De Jong, spokesman for the North Vancouver RCMP. "Fortunately no one was physically harmed in these shameless acts of fraud and extortion."
