Fraudster jailed for 5 years after pleading guilty to 22 charges

UPDATE, May 14, 2020:Donald Robert Quinnellpleadedguilty to 22 counts of fraudand has been sentenced to 5years in jail, RCMPin North Vancouver say.

EARLIER STORY:

The B.C. Prosecution Service has approved dozensof charges against a man who was the subject of a region-wide police hunt for aseries of so-call confidence frauds targeting vulnerable seniors.

In a joint news conference Tuesday, the West Vancouver Police and North Vancouver RCMP said Chilliwack resident Donald Robert Quinnellhas been charged with 39 countsrelating to a series of thefts and frauds across the Lower Mainland dating back toJuly2019.

Quinnellhas been in police custody since his arrest in Vancouver Sept. 12 onan unrelated Canada-wide warrant.

RCMP had issued a public alert warning seniors about Quinnellearlier that same month. He was the suspect in at least nineconfidence fraud incidents in North Vancouver,in which he allegedly gainedthe trust of elderly victims, then stoletheir wallets, purses and other valuables.

At the time, police warned that Quinnell appeared well dressed and well manneredand wouldapproachlone elderly victims in grocery stores, parking lotsand outside residencesunder the pretence of needing or offering help.

In some cases, he would say he had locked his keys out of his car and needed help, while in other cases he would offerhelp to carry victims'groceries.

Police say the remaining 30 chargesstem from allegations of fraudrelating to Quinnell'suse of thestolen credit cards from the seniors' wallets.