Furniture stolen in Saint John, N.B. last year recovered in Colchester County

BIBLE HILL - Police have recovered more than $40,000 of stolen furniture during searches this week of five Colchester County properties.
Colchester County RCMP said the furniture was in a tractor-trailer when it was stolen from CM Munroe Limited in Saint John, N.B. on Nov. 24. The retail value of the furniture is $45,000 and police said about 90 per cent has been recovered.
"We believe it to be an organized criminal group that is responsible," Const. Bob Bailey told the Truro Daily News on Wednesday. "It's going to take several days to recover all the stolen property."
While officers remained at some of the properties on Wednesday, others were busy unloading everything from dressers, tables and chairs to bedroom and sofa sets from a five-ton truck into a trailer at the Bible Hill detachment.
At 10 a.m. on Tuesday police executed three search warrants, two on the Soley Factory Road and another on Campbell Road in Debert, and located a large quantity of stolen furniture.
Subsequently, police obtained permission to search a third residence on Soley Factory Road and obtained a warrant to search a camp in the Portapique area. Police said a large quantity of furniture was seized from both locations.
"We've recovered several pieces from individual homes," Bailey said.
In addition to the furniture police also recovered a Cummins engine and transmission, valued at $15,000 and believed to have been stolen from the Halifax area, a large quantity of alcohol, believed to have been stolen from the Upper Stewiacke liquor store on Nov. 14, and a large quantity of power tools, believed to have been stolen from several break and enters in Colchester County during the past few months.
Police recovered one vehicle that had its vehicle identification number changed.
While a man has been interviewed,
no charges have been laid. Bailey said
the lengthy investigation began before Christmas.
Involved in the searches were RCMP officers from the Colchester County detachment, provincial auto theft unit, North East Nova drug section, customs and excise unit and the Colchester County integrated street crime unit.

jmalloy@trurodaily.com