A B.C. Supreme Court judge has sentenced a man convicted of breaking into a Richmond home and attempting to sell a stolen rifle to an undercover police officer to five years in prison.
Li Fu Alex Ni was found guilty after trial by jury of two offences, Justice Peter Edelmann said in a newly released April 14 sentencing decision.
The first related to breaking and entering and stealing firearms from a residence on Broadmoor Boulevard Aug. 31, 2020.
The second related to the sale of one of those firearms to an undercover police officer for $3,000 on Dec. 11, 2020.
With credit for time served prior to sentencing, Ni will serve a further sentence of four years and 230 days. Edelmann also ordered a DNA sample be taken and issued a mandatory lifetime weapons ban.
What happened?
Edelmann said Ni, along with two other men, broke into the residence at 7540 Broadmoor Blvd.
“Once inside the residence, they used an angle saw to cut into a gun safe and committed the theft of some 15 firearms (10 handguns and five rifles) as well as other items such as high‑end purses, designer jewelry, and watches, and a significant amount of cash,” the judge said.
The men spent over eight hours breaking into the residence and making numerous trips to and from the residence to Ni's residence, according to the ruling.
Edelmann said Ni admitted in court he was at the Broadmoor residence and assisted in moving items out of the residence over the course of the day.
“He sought to minimize his involvement and testified that he thought he was helping someone move,” Edelmann said. “The jury clearly did not believe this testimony.”
Edelmann found Ni was actively involved in the break-in, was engaged in procuring the necessary tools to break into the safe, and was later involved in disposing of stolen items, including a rifle.
Edelmann said he found no indication the break-in occurred to steal firearms; the gun safe was discovered after the break-in.
“The theft of the firearms appears to have been a crime of opportunity,” he wrote.
It was after the break-in that Ni tried to sell a Simonov rifle SKS semi-automatic rifle to the undercover officer.
“On Dec. 11, 2020, Mr. Ni gave the undercover officer a duffel bag containing a Simonov rifle SKS semiautomatic rifle, along with ammunition,” Edelmann said. “Mr. Ni was aware the duffel bag contained the SKS rifle and the undercover officer gave Mr. Ni $3,000 in cash in exchange for the rifle.”
Ni was not licensed or authorized to possess or transfer the SKS rifle, the decision said.
Edelmann said that throughout the undercover operation, Ni sought to present himself as a "well‑connected and knowledgeable gangster."
“He sold the SKS rifle to an undercover officer who portrayed himself as being connected to organized crime groups in Ontario who required weapons because they were engaged in active conflict,” Edelmann said.
