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Man accused of identity theft has lengthy criminal record

Shawn Bradley Gillam shot at a police officer during chase in 2008
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Shawn Gillam from an earlier photo published in 2011.

The man arrested by Ridge Meadows RCMP in an identity theft case, announced on Thursday, has a lengthy criminal record that includes having shot at police.

Pitt Meadows residents Shawn Bradley Gillam, 36, and Kacie Legace, 24, were arrested by police investigating a rash of mailbox break-ins and thefts last week.

A search of court records shows Gillam has a criminal record dating back to 2003. In April 2011, he was sentenced to six years in jail for shooting at a police officer.

Judge Anthony Spence noted at the time a longer sentence would have been appropriate, given Gillam’s lengthy criminal record then, but the hope of rehabilitation was strengthened by family support.

His parents and grandmother wrote letters to the judge assuring their support on his release and were in court when the sentence was handed down. His lawyer argued that he was no longer associating with criminals, and his friends involved in the drug trade had died or been murdered.

Police described him as a dangerous offender in 2008. He had fired at a police officer during a pursuit through Maple Ridge in June of that year.

His record includes a gas station robbery, possession of a switchblade, and possession of heroin.

In January 2015, he was arrested for theft of mail from community mail boxes in Maple Ridge. He was accused of breaking and entering and theft of mail in Richmond in 2017.

He is to appear in Port Coquitlam Provincial Court on Feb. 6 for a long list of charges, including break and enter, possession of stolen property, theft of mail, trespassing at night and others.

Ridge Meadows RCMP Sgt. Brenda Gresiuk said Gillam is well known to police for crimes similar to those being investigated.

On Jan. 23, officers recovered hundreds of pieces of mail, numerous keys that appear to be mailbox keys and vehicle keys, and numerous credit cars, from a residence on Bonson Road in Pitt Meadows.

She said investigators are now trying to link these hundreds of recovered items to reports of theft, as they gather evidence.

She said investigations of this type are made easier if police have reports of thefts from the victims, so they know when they have recovered stolen items.

“We stress – if you’ve been the victim of crime, report it,” she said.

Ridge RCMP said Gillam is facing new charges of breaching conditions, seven counts of fraud under $5000 and seven counts of identity theft.

Gillam remains in custody until his next court appearance.

The investigation is ongoing.



Neil Corbett

About the Author: Neil Corbett

I have been a journalist for more than 30 years, the past decade with the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News.
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