Identification forgery lab located after neighbours report porch pirates

Two people have been arrested and charged in relation to an identity and credit card manufacturing lab after an investigation began when tenants of a downtown condo complex turned to their Community Resource Officer (CRO) for help in dealing with problem neighbours.

In October 2022, members of the condo board for a complex located in the 500 block of 12 Avenue S.W., reached out to their CRO for assistance with problem tenants who had reportedly been stealing packages and mail from other tenants in the building. The CRO worked with the complainants to bring forth evidence that could then be passed along to an investigative team. Eventually, enough evidence was garnered that a search warrant was granted and on Friday, Dec. 2, 2022, the search was executed on the property, as well a vehicle. As a result of the search, the following items were seized:

• Four of the five packages reported stolen from other tenants
• An identification and credit card forgery manufacturing lab
• Identification and credit cards in other people’s names
• Identification with the suspect’s photo on it, under assumed names
• The upper receiver and barrel from a Glock handgun
• Hundreds, if not thousands, of pieces of mail from various businesses and residential buildings in Calgary

The suspects were arrested without incident. Erin Lindsay EMERSON, 46, was charged with two counts of possession of stolen property, one count of possession of forgery instruments and one count of possession of forged documents. She will next appear in court on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.

Steven Edward HART, 38, was charged with one count of breaching a release order, two counts of possession of stolen property, one count of possession of forgery instruments and one count of possession of forged documents. He remains in custody and will next appear in court today, Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2022.

“This is a great example of the community and officers working together to identify suspicious activity, leading to an investigation that uncovered a forgery lab that likely resulted in impacting hundreds of Calgarians. Thank you to the condo board and tenants for shedding light on the situation. By working together we can ensure unwanted and illicit activity is dealt with,” says District 1 Staff Sergeant Kurt Jacobs.

Case #22479815