Retail theft ring taken down, several young teens charged, Peel police say

Police west of Toronto say they have broken up an alleged theft ring and recovered more than $80,000 in stolen property.

Peel Regional Police say they’ve charged 12 people, including three teenage girls and a teenage boy, in the months-long probe.

They say they began an investigation in November 2021 into a large-scale organized crime group in southern Ontario for retail theft.

Police say the probe involved multiple police agencies, Canada Border Services Agency and teams from Shoppers Drug Mart and Walmart Canada.

They raided multiple places on Tuesday where they recovered thousands of dollars of allegedly stolen goods.

Police say a 14-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl are among those charged.