Vancouver police say they have made five arrests, taking a hit against an organized resale operation buying stolen goods brought into the Downtown Eastside.
Additionally, nearly $650,000 in cash, drugs and stolen property was seized as part of the VPD’s “Project Barcode” operation, launched last year to crack down on violent and repeat shoplifters targeting the city’s retail stores.
The arrests are the result of three investigations.
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A man and woman in their 60s were spotted buying stolen goods on East Hastings Street and were tracked to a home on East Georgia Street in Strathcona, where they were found stuffed with $150,000 worth of stolen electronics, designer clothing, over-the-counter painkillers and vitamins, as well as $150,000 in cash.
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A man in his 40s and a woman in her 50s were seen purchasing the stolen goods near the intersection of East Hastings Street and Currall Street. Investigations led to homes in the Kensington Cedar Cottage and Hastings Sunrise neighborhoods where $233,000 worth of stolen goods were seized, including baby formula, sportswear, toiletries, vitamins, electronics and alcohol. Police also seized two vehicles allegedly used in the crimes.
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A 52-year-old woman who had been buying stolen goods in the DTES led police to a residence on Nanaimo Street near Trout Lake Park, where police found $107,000 worth of stolen cosmetics, clothing, designer bags, sportswear, alcohol and vitamins. Police also seized $10,000 worth of cocaine and fentanyl, as well as an old vehicle.
Speaking in front of a display of some of the recovered items, VPD spokesman Sergeant Steve Addison said the investigation was focusing on organised criminals who were raking in huge profits.
“The goal of our operations over the past several months has been to target predatory, non-addictive, organized thieves who are making huge profits by scamming residents of the Downtown Eastside who are driven, recruited or stealing simply to make ends meet,” Addison said.
Vancouver police say items most likely to be stolen include brand-name merchandise, vitamins, over-the-counter painkillers and alcohol. (Maggie MacPherson/CBC)
Police say shoplifting hookers often give instructions to multiple shoplifters, asking for specific items for a small amount of money.
VPD Lt. Mike Kim said stolen goods dealers sell the items up the crime chain, often to illegal sellers based overseas. Or, Kim said, they put the items up for sale on digital platforms such as eBay, Kijiji, Facebook Marketplace and Amazon.
“Steal to order”
Louis Rodriguez, a spokesman for the Canadian Retail Association, said the number of “made-to-order” companies has grown exponentially since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s very easy to start a website and advertise a product that you don’t have,” he says. [website] They go buy goods and if they don’t have them, they order someone on the street to steal them.”
Retailers have long called for tougher police and court action against the rise in shoplifting and violent theft in their stores.
London Drugs made headlines last year when it announced it would require staff in some of its stores to wear stab-resistant vests because armed shoplifters were a major problem.
“Unfortunately, we [not] “We’re seeing improvements and we’re investing heavily in training, safety programs and security, and this applies to our retail stores across Canada,” said Tony Hunt, general manager of loss prevention at London Drugs.
“We have to invest millions of dollars to address the social pressures and increase in crime over the last four or five years.”
All five arrested are charged with possession of stolen property.
