64 charges laid against alleged 'prolific property crime offender' in Surrey, RCMP say

Accused prolific property crime offender Matthew Soper is seen in this file photo from 2015.

An alleged prolific property crime offender is accused of committing more than 60 offences across the Lower Mainland in the span of just over a month, according to Surrey RCMP.

Matthew Soper is facing 64 charges in connection to an investigation that began in June, the detachment said in a news release Friday.

The charges include:

• 20 counts of breaching probation
• Seven counts of breaking and entering
• Seven counts of possession of stolen property under $5,000
• Six counts of failing to comply with a release order
• Six counts of theft under $5,000
• Six counts of possession of ID documents
• Five counts of theft of motor vehicle
• Five counts of fraud under $5,000
• And two counts of theft over $5,000

Surrey RCMP said their "property crime target team" began the multi-jurisdictional investigation on June 6, looking into a series of break-ins in which the suspect stole garage door openers and returned at a later date to access the homes to which they corresponded.

Soper was identified as the suspect and arrested on July 10, police said.

"Subsequent to Soper’s arrest, a search warrant was obtained for his residence and executed on the same day," the RCMP release reads.

"Police seized several items which were determined to be stolen from those residential break-and-enters, including a large quantity of sunglasses, body armour, golf clubs, and identification documents."

Police said Soper remains in custody awaiting his next court appearance.

Online court records indicate Soper is scheduled to appear in Surrey provincial court on Sept. 17.

The records also shed light on the geographic scale and frequency of Soper's alleged crime spree.

The earliest of the charges listed in the online records stems from an offence that allegedly occurred in Delta on May 31 of this year.

The latest charges are for alleged offences in Surrey, and dated July 8. In between, Soper is accused of crimes that occurred in Surrey, West Vancouver, Abbotsford and North Vancouver.

"We recognize the impact residential break and enters have on the citizens of our community," said Sgt. Jordan Davies, the officer in charge of Surrey RCMP's auto theft and property crime unit, in the release.

"Our team worked diligently to identify, target and arrest this prolific property crime offender to ensure he is held accountable for his actions. The investigation linked him to multiple vehicle thefts and break and enters across the Lower Mainland and in the Interior of B.C. His arrest and subsequent incarceration has resulted in safer communities throughout B.C."

The Surrey detachment thanked White Rock RCMP and the Abbotsford Police Department for their assistance with the investigation.