Kelowna man pleads guilty to multiple thefts, break ins

Photo: Contributed

A Kelowna man with a criminal record spanning two provinces and multiple cities pleaded guilty on Monday to a new set of offences.

A Kelowna man with a criminal record spanning two provinces and two decades pleaded guilty on Monday to a new set of offences.

Saeed Abbas, 44, admitted to a four part crime spree, including break ins, the theft of two Dodge trucks, a couple SUVs and even a possession of weapons charge. The criminal acts took place between September 2022 and January 2023, the latter date being when he started his incarceration.

Despite the volume of crimes squeezed in to a short period of time, Crown counsel Erin Miller argued that a two year sentence would be ideal for Abbas, who struggles with drug addiction, depression and anxiety.

His defence lawyer, however, told the Supreme Court justice presiding over the case that a one year sentence would be more appropriate, noting that Abbas has suffered from racialization that limited his ability to adjust to society and increased the likelihood he’d turn to crime.

A decision will be made at a later date.

In making her case, Miller told the court that Abbas has a criminal record that started in 1999 when he was a youth offender in Calgary and since then, has amassed 25 convictions for offences including arson, theft, fraud, robbery, and vehicle thefts. He also has 22 breach charges.

While she didn’t take an in-depth look at those offences, she said this time around his crimes were unsophisticated.

“These all appear to be crimes of opportunity rather than a planned operation, and these are all, of course, substantially property offenses,” Miller said.

On Sept. 24, 2022 he broke into a business on Enterprise Way by throwing a rock through a window. He got into one car at the business and stole an iPhone. Then he travelled to a nearby business, and stole two Dodge Rams that had been in the shop.

On Oct. 10, 2023 he broke into a UHaul compound and a Volkswagon dealership, again with a rock. He stole a wallet when in the latter and went on a spending spree at Triple Os, Marshalls and Petro Canada.

On Oct. 18, 2023 he went into another dealership, spoke with a couple employees and then stole a set of keys from the desk at the front. With those, he took off with a Honda CRV. The next day, he went a Kelowna residence and stole a Toyota 4Runner and one person’s debit cards. Again he spent his ill-gotten gains at a gas station.

Then, finally, on Jan. 15, 2023, he went to the Mercedes Bez dealership in Kelowna and attempted to make another theft. When police arrested him they found he had a hacksaw, butane torch, screwdriver, bolt cutters, and a loaded firearm.

Miller also pointed out that a report that highlighted the trauma, racism, and poverty Abbas suffered since his parents came to Canada as refugees from Palestine is important to weigh into the equation.

The report was an “Impact of Race and Culture Assessment”. IRCA’s are written by Legal Aid, at the request of the client, the accused.

“In the Crown's view, the language, in this case, does seem to indicate a lack of impartiality,” Miller said.

Miller noted that the letter said "Muslims are presumed guilty instead of innocent,” made reference to George Floyd and uses pointed language to call out Abbas’s parents for their decision to make their son “figure out” his problems.

“The Crown certainly takes no issue with the fact that Mr. Abbas's personal experiences as a Muslim Canadian would have undoubtedly played a role in him coming before the court today,” Miller said.

Rather, she said, she wanted to point out that the report veered into the territory of advocacy.

A sentencing date has yet to be scheduled.

Editor's note: A previous version of this story called the letter about race a report. Presentence Report are written by probation officers but the report cited was an “Impact of Race and Culture Assessment”. IRCA’s are written by Legal Aid, at the request of the client, the accused.