Vincent Eric Gia-Hwa Cheung, alleged mastermind of Justice Institute attacks, faces 23 charges

After a four-year investigation described as "extremely puzzling" by police, two men have been charged in the series of attacks four years ago on students and staff of the Justice Institute of B.C.

The attacks including houses, cars, and trailers set on fire, and homes and vehicles shot at started in April 2011 and continued throughout the Lower Mainland until Jan. 2012, when a home was set on fire in West Vancouver.

Police arrested the alleged "orchestrator,"Vincent Eric Gia-Hwa Cheung, 40, on Friday in Burnaby, the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of B.C. announced Monday. He is facing 23 charges, including:

• 11 counts of arson, on a house.
• Five counts of arson, on a vehicle.
• Two counts of arson, on property within a residence.
• One count of arson, on a trailer.
• Four shooting charges.

Thurman Ronley Taffe, 54, also charged with house arson, is alleged by police to have been contracted to carry out that crime.

Fifteen people were targeted after their personal records were allegedly accessed improperly by an ICBC employee, investigators said on Monday morning.

The link between the victims wasn't clear at first. Some were students and staff at the Justice Institute of B.C., while one had simply parked a car in the parking lot to drop someone off at an unrelated event, said Kevin Hackett, chief officer of the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit B.C.

'Their lives were at risk'

Hackett wouldn't discuss what police believed the motive was in the series of attacks, saying that would come out in court.

He did say Cheung thought he was targeting members of law enforcement.The Justice Institute of B.C., trains police, paramedics and other first responders.

None of the victims wasphysically injured, but several were at home while their house was doused in gasoline, and lit on fire.

"It's been stressful" for the victims and their families over the past four-and-a-half years, said Hackett.

"Their lives [were] at risk, whether from a ... bullet entering into that residence or from the house burning down around you. That's going to put fear into your family, and fear into yourself."

Timeline of attacks

The attacks began in April 2011, with seven arsons in two weeks, and continued until January of 2012. With the arsons and shootings spread across the Lower Mainland, it wasn't clear at first that they were related.

Then, the Justice Institute received a threatening email, naming nine individuals all but one of whom had had their homes or property targeted in the attacks.

Investigators learned that the victims were also linked by a breach of their personal information, by an ICBC employee who allegedly queried their license plates and provided their personal details.

Police had several suspects in 2012 including Cheung after investigating an arson in Surrey.

Then, nine months ago, several victims received suspicious letters in the mail, warning the attacks would resume in 2015.

More arrests anticipated, say police

Police said they know people still have more information about the attacks, and expect more charges in the future.

"The investigation was complicated and made even more challenging by the efforts of the accused to disguise their intent through cunning and calculated misdirection," said Hackett.

They hope the charges against Cheung and Taffe, and surveillance video of the Jan. 2012 arson in West Vancouver, will help bring new information forward.

1. April 17, 2011 Arson in Burnaby
2. April 20, 2011 Arson in Lions Bay
3. April 23, 2011 Arson in Surrey
4. April 24, 2011 Arson in Maple Ridge
5. April 25, 2011 Arson in Port Moody
6. April 25, 2011 Arson in Richmond
7. April 30, 2011 Arson in Burnaby
8. May 3, 2011 Arson in Burnaby
9. May 8, 2011 Arson in Coquitlam
10. May 26, 2011 Firearms in Surrey
11. June 1, 2011 Firearms in Burnaby
12. June 10, 2011 Arson in Surrey
13. June 11, 2011 Arson in Port Moody
14. July 7, 2011 Firearms in Maple Ridge
15. July 8, 2011 Firearms in Coquitlam
16. Aug. 26, 2011 Arson in Vancouver
17. Aug. 26, 2011 Arson in Vancouver
18. Aug. 29, 2011 Arson in Vancouver
19. Aug. 29, 2011 Arson in Vancouver
20. Nov. 2, 2011 Arson in Surrey
21. Nov. 13, 2011 Arson in Surrey
22. Jan. 7, 2012 Arson in Surrey
23. Jan. 13, 2012 Arson in West Vancouver