The Abbotsford Police Department (APD) has taken the "extraordinary measure" of warning the public that the life of a known criminal in the city is in danger and anyone associating with him is also at risk.
Const. Ian MacDonald said police have received "sufficient and credible" information that there is a "significant" risk to the safety of Chadwyn (Chad) Marcus Weber, 35.
MacDonald said anyone associating with him or who is in close proximity to him and in places where he spends times or frequents should be concerned.
He said police are investigating to determine the person or group(s) responsible for "creating the safety risk" for Weber and the general public.
"It's safe to say that, in his past, he has at least had associations and spent time with people who are gang-involved," MacDonald said.
Weber was sentenced to 60 days in jail last July after pleading guilty to possession for the purpose of trafficking. His arrest was the APD's first bust using their new armoured rescue vehicle.
At the time, police alleged that Weber was connected to the UN Gang, although MacDonald said he did not know what Weber's current affiliations might be.
The bust took place in an apartment in the 30500 block of Blueridge Drive, and Weber was among three people in the unit. Police seized crack and powdered cocaine, cash and two bulletproof vests.
According to the provincial court database, Weber has a long criminal record, dating back to 1995, when he was charged with, and later convicted of, assault and obstructing justice in Abbotsford.
Since then, he has racked up numerous convictions for offences such as assault, gun possession, uttering threats, breaches of his bail conditions and probation, drug possession and resisting a police officer.
In addition to Abbotsford, the offences have occurred in Chilliwack, Surrey, Penticton, Port Coquitlam and Vancouver. MacDonald said Weber has resided in Abbotsford for the last few years.
The last public safety warning that the APD issued of this nature was in 2008 in relation to Jarrod, Jonathan and Jamie Bacon. Jonathan was killed in a drive-by shooting in Kelowna last summer.
Last September, the RCMP's gang task force issued a similar warning about the Duhre and Dhak groups, two prominent gangs in the Lower Mainland. One of the Duhre brothers, Sandip, was shot and killed in a targeted hit in a Vancouver restaurant in January.
MacDonald said it is rare for police to take the step that they have in those cases.
"For police to have to take the position of having to warn the general public is an extraordinary measure," he said.
Weber is Caucasian, 6' 1" tall, and weighs 220 pounds. He had green eyes and short brown hair.