Vancouver police say they made nearly 140 arrests and recovered nearly $37,000 in allegedly stolen goods during a recent two-week anti-shoplifting blitz.
Between April 24 and May 9, officers went undercover for Project Barcode 2, a continuation of a three-week crackdown on violent shoplifters in March. During the operation, police said they worked with management, staff and security to identify chronic and violent offenders.
“Our officers went undercover to detect and arrest the thieves targeting retailers in Vancouver,” Const. Tania Visintin said in a media release.
“Violence and retail crime is still a major concern in Vancouver. Someone going to work to earn a living should not have to be subjected to this type of violence.”
Over the course of the two-week blitz, police arrested 138 people and recommended 125 criminal charges to Crown prosecutors.
Police said they also busted 14 repeat offenders, and seized a dozen weapons, with knives being the most common item.
During the March crackdown, police said they arrested 215 people resulting in 217 charge recommendations.
According to the VPD, Vancouver experienced a 30-per-cent increase in shoplifting incidents in 2022 compared to previous years, with around 20 violent incidents per month.