York Regional Police say 23 people have been arrested and 86 charges have been laid in a six-month investigation into thefts at Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) stores in Vaughan.
During the course of the investigation, police said a total of 170 thefts were reported from six LCBO locations with a value of just under $60,000 worth of goods.
Investigators said efforts to address the issue of LCBO thefts began in March and prompted officers with the Community Oriented Response Unit (COR) to take on proactive policing efforts.
York police said tactics included both plainclothes and uniformed officers responding to calls for service and conducting detailed follow-up investigations.
Police said as a result of the investigation, additional charges for other offences were laid, such as possession of property obtained by crime, breach of recognizance and possession of weapons.
“We will continue to work closely with our local businesses to prevent criminal acts and to bring those responsible for committing these and other crimes before our courts. With this initiative our officers truly are making a difference in our community,” Graham Beverly with York Regional Police said.