Multiple gun parts were found in evidence bags by residents of the nearby tent city in Regina Park, and were handed over to police.
Staff Sgt. Scott Treble of Saanich Police says the items found appear to be part of an investigation from eighteen months ago with a then 20 year old male, as the evidence bags were similar. There was a previous investigation in January 2017 where these and other firearm parts were seized from a Saanich storage locker under a judicially-authorized search warrant executed by police.
The owner of the firearm parts had no criminal history, held a valid Possession & Acquisition License and was in lawful possession of the individual parts committing no criminal offence. As a result the items were returned to the individual.
Staff Sgt. Treble says; "The missing link right now is we just need to get in touch with the owner that we gave all this stuff back to 18 months ago. And find out did he, or someone, knowingly decide to get rid of this stuff or could it have been stolen."
Canadian law does not regulate the possession of the individual firearm parts which were found in the dumpster, such as barrels, slides and trigger assemblies.