Vancouver – Charges have been approved by BC Prosecution Service against four people in relation to a Vancouver Police kidnapping investigation from September.

“In August, Vancouver Police Property Crime detectives initiated a project into a group that was believed to be responsible for a series of armed home invasions and residential break and enters throughout Metro Vancouver,” says Constable Tania Visintin, VPD. “Detectives took the initiative to target this group and dedicated a significant amount of resources into the investigation.”

On September 8, four suspects kidnapped the victim from a vehicle at gunpoint in Richmond, B.C. The victim suffered significant, but non-life threatening injures after being assaulted and restrained.

The victim was rescued by VPD officers and the four suspects were taken into custody following a brief pursuit.

Charges have been approved against Ashley Smith, 30, Michael Husain, 30, and Harman Parmar, 24, for kidnapping, forcible confinement, assault causing bodily harm and using a firearm in the commission of an offence. The name of the fourth person accused is not being released due to a court imposed publication ban.

Smith, Husain, and Parmar have been held in custody pending their next court appearance.