Lethbridge police crack down on shoplifting

LETHBRIDGE – The Lethbridge Regional Police Service is partnering with local businesses to introduce a web-based program to combat shoplifting.

The program is called Cameras on Patrol and it allows business owners to take surveillance photos of thieves and post them online so police and other businesses can view them.

According to the LRPS, the program has been running successfully in Calgary for two years. In that same time span, Lethbridge shoplifting numbers have increased by 34 per cent.

Though the participation from local businesses has been good, police said there’s still more work to be done, because many criminals don’t stick around.

“The end goal with this program is to involve Taber, involve Medicine Hat, make Calgary and our systems work better together so that those travelling criminals, we can be on top of them more,” Cst. Steve Baker, a community liaison officer who oversees the network, said.

There were 518 shoplifting occurrences in 2014 and 59 of those thieves were involved in multiple offences. Lethbridge police originally implemented the program in August and so far, 39 businesses have signed up.