Surge in organized retail crime prompts coordinated response from Calgary police
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In response to an uptick in theft and robbery from businesses, the Calgary Police Service is joining forces with the Retail Council of Canada, businesses and security organizations to clamp down on retail crime.
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The new approach comes after retail theft surpassed $9 billion nationwide in 2024, according to CPS, with organized groups increasingly targeting high-value goods for resale.
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That recent rise in theft has led to increased security costs for businesses, declining sales and growing concern among frontline retail workers, CPS said in a Friday news release.
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'Retail crime may seem like a victimless offence, but it has real consequences for our community,' said Insp. Travis Juska with CPS. 'It affects business owners, employees and our city's overall sense of safety.'
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CPS has already received approximately 400 calls for service from retail stores this year, the release stated. Of those calls, 142 were in response to theft, while five related to robbery. In addition, CPS has received 3,273 reports through the department's online reporting system.
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As part of its new collaborative approach with the retail council and security organizations, CPS is sharing intelligence on known offenders and theft patterns; introducing a direct reporting channel between police and security teams; and promoting crime prevention tactics and training to retail businesses.
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New approach yields seven arrests at Chinook mall
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Officers from CPS's organized retail crime team conducted a three-day enforcement operation at CF Chinook Centre from May 13 to 15, hoping to identify and apprehend thieves as they struck.
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As a result of the operation, CPS says five adults and two youths, who cannot be named under provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, were caught and charged in relation to theft.
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The five apprehended adults include 44-year-old Ross Anthony Swaile, 23-year-old Shannon Erin Lindemann, 21-year-old Kathleen Lucy Big Plume, 34-year-old Benjamin Joseph Dohy and 43-year-old Kevin Bruce Snell.
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