In February 1973, a Delta police detective warned Tsawwassen business owners about a sharp rise in bad cheques and forgery tied to drug use. Detective Ted Thiessen explained how drug addicts were turning to illegal cheque schemes to fund their habits.
Thiessen spoke at a Tsawwassen Business Association meeting, describing how people were using nonsufficient funds (NSF) cheques and forged signatures to get money. He highlighted a local case involving five women who ran an NSF cheque ring. These women disguised themselves with wigs, opened bank accounts, and forged numerous cheques by copying signatures from local businesses.
The Delta cheque squad, formed just two years before, was dealing with about one cheque complaint every day. Thiessen said addicts typically need between $15 and $75 daily to support their drug use, which often leads them to commit cheque fraud.
One major challenge in prosecuting these cases was identifying the actual people cashing the bad cheques. Thiessen pointed out that the standard British Columbia driver’s licence was not strong enough for positive ID, but he noted that newer licences with photos offered better proof of identity.
The detective shared advice for local businesses to protect themselves. He urged caution with cheques presented just before holidays or weekends. “With the banks closed, it means extra days before you learn the cheque is bad, giving the crook more time to disappear,” he said.
Thiessen also recommended that if a cheque was not written in the business owner’s presence, they should ask the client to sign another document while watching closely. This allows the owner to compare signatures and spot forgery.
