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Global News
6 days ago
- Global News
Shoplifting on the rise in B.C., but one group says stores have given up reporting
A citizen group advocating for the reduction of street disorder in B.C. says federal crime statistics do not paint the whole picture of what is happening in the province. The agency attributed much of the overall decline in the crime severity index in 2024 to a six-per cent drop in non-violent crime, which includes such crimes as property and drug offences. Story continues below advertisement Save Our Streets in B.C. told Global News that stats show a decrease in certain crimes but that is because many people and businesses have given up reporting to authorities. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'It's driving some companies out of business, losing jobs in certain communities as a result,' Jess Ketchum, co-founder of Save Our Streets, said. It appears, however, that shoplifting is up, with a 66-per cent increase Canada-wide in incidents of shoplifting under $5,000. In B.C., Statistics Canada reports that in the last four years, shoplifting violations have increased nearly 80 per cent. 'We've had particular reports from the Kootenays that would indicate that people have just given up on reporting these crimes because they know the police just don't have the resources to do everything we're asking them to do,' Ketchum added. 2:14 City of Vancouver launches shoplifting and retail theft task force The head of London Drugs says shoplifting often leads to violence against staff. Story continues below advertisement 'Physical assault, death threats are routine, the production of needles, pipes, hammers, weapons that could cause permanent and life-altering harm to employees are routine,' Clint Mahlman, president and COO of London Drugs, said. Mahlman says that increased security measures for his downtown Vancouver stores have been making a difference, along with an extra police presence. B.C. stats show 20,486 incidents in 2020, and 36,851 incidents in 2024, which is an increase of 79.8 per cent, according to Statistics Canada. Last year only 4,040 people were charged and it is not known how many charges led to convictions.
CTV News
6 days ago
- CTV News
B.C. child pornographer declared dangerous offender, locked up indefinitely
Warning: This story contains disturbing details. A B.C. child pornographer with an 'obsessive quality' to his predatory behaviour has been declared a dangerous offender and locked up indefinitely, according to a recent court decision. Kristjon Otto Olson's most recent crimes included luring two children, extorting a child, exposing himself to children, and making child pornography. Vancouver provincial court heard those offences began on March 8, 2018 – the same day Olson was released from custody after serving nearly a decade behind bars for other sexual crimes against children. 'Mr. Olson has frequently voiced good intentions with respect to his behaviour in the community,' said Judge Jennifer Oulton, in her decision. 'Trusting Mr. Olson has not been rewarded in the past.' Authorities eventually identified more than 80 victims Olson had targeted on Instagram from 2018 into 2020, all girls between the ages of nine and 13. He made child pornography by 'eliciting pictures or videos from children either being nude or performing self-exploitative sexual activity,' according to Oulton's June 20 decision, which was posted online last week. 'During the same period, Mr. Olson exposed his genital organs to, and masturbated in front of, numerous children over social media, recording their reactions.' Ankle monitor cut off Vancouver police arrested Olson on Feb. 13, 2020, after officers saw him using a smartphone in breach of his release conditions. A search of his room at a local SRO turned up eight cellphones, a laptop and three hard drives containing thousands of child pornography images and videos. It's unclear why it took so long to catch him. Officers responsible for monitoring high-risk sex offenders testified that they're best able to enforce 'observable conditions,' and can't keep anyone under 24-hour surveillance. They also had trouble obtaining a warrant to search his home. The court heard authorities knew child pornography was being distributed from the SRO where Olson was living as early as May 2019, but were initially unable to pin it on him. 'For several months they had only a reasonable suspicion of this, and not enough evidence to get a search warrant, because 49 other people also lived at that location,' Oulton wrote. The court heard Olson was bailed out on Feb. 13 and fitted with an electronic monitoring bracelet on his ankle – only for him to cut the device off mere hours after his release. He then headed to a London Drugs to buy another smartphone and data plan, leading to his arrest, once again. Reoffending from mother's home Olson served a few more months in jail for breaching his conditions, and was released to live with his mother in Surrey beginning in May 2020. The court heard Olson's mother told his probation officer there was no internet connection in her home – something that turned out to 'untrue,' the judge said, which meant Olson could continue committing child pornography offences under her roof. 'There was an internet connection in her home the whole time Mr. Olson was there,' said Oulton. That tendency to immediately reoffend upon his release from custody was what led Oulton to characterize his behaviour as obsessive. Interventions had 'little impact' After being arrested again in September 2020, Olson pleaded guilty to 11 charges – and even conceded that he meets the criteria for a dangerous offender designation. He argued against an indeterminate prison sentence, however, pushing instead to serve another 15 years behind bars, followed by 10 years under supervision while taking anti-libidinal medication and receiving individualized psychotherapy. The judge had trouble believing the plan would work. Oulton noted that Olson has been under 'near-constant' state supervision since he was 16 years old, racking up 52 convictions across three provinces, and that numerous attempts to mitigate his behaviour with medication, counselling and intensive sex offender treatment have had 'little impact' on him. 'There have been many efforts to rehabilitate Mr. Olson over the last 23 years. None have succeeded. Mr. Olson has been voicing an intention to change his behaviour over the same time period, but he has not done so,' Oulton wrote. 'I do not have a reasonable expectation, or a confident belief, for good and sufficient reasons, based on the evidence I have heard, that a lesser measure than an indeterminate sentence would adequately protect the public.'
CTV News
11-07-2025
- CTV News
‘Well-dressed women' sought after string of shoplifting incidents in B.C.'s Fraser Valley
Mission RCMP are trying to identify four suspects wanted in a string of shoplifting incidents. (Handout) Mounties are working to identify four 'well-dressed women' following a string of shoplifting incidents in B.C.'s Fraser Valley last week. Authorities said cosmetics, perfume and high-end gift sets were stolen from major retail pharmacies in Mission on three separate occasions, in what the RCMP described as 'co-ordinated' thefts involving several suspects. 'The women were well-organized,' the Mission RCMP detachment said Thursday, in a news release. 'In at least one of the instances, one of the suspects distracted an employee working in the cosmetics section, while the others reportedly took various items.' The first shoplifting incident was reported on the evening of June 30 at the Shoppers Drug Mart on Lougheed Highway, where three women allegedly stole 'an entire shelf's worth of cosmetic products,' Mission RCMP said. The same three suspects and a fourth woman then allegedly snatched a 'large quantity of perfume' from the London Drugs on London Avenue on the afternoon of July 1, the detachment said. Two women returned to the Shoppers Drug Mart on the morning of July 5 and allegedly stole a number of high-end gift sets as well. Investigators have not identified any of the suspects, but believe two of the women have ties to Ontario. None were previously known to Mission RCMP. One suspect was pushing a baby stroller with a small child inside, authorities said. The RCMP asked anyone with information on the women's identities to contact the Mission detachment at 604-826-7191.
Global News
11-07-2025
- Global News
Airborne SUV lands on pedestrian in wheelchair in North Vancouver parking lot
Three people were taken to the hospital on Wednesday after a vehicle struck a pedestrian in a wheelchair, trapping her under the vehicle. The incident happened in the parking lot outside the London Drugs at Lonsdale Avenue and 20th Street East. BC Emergency Health Services said one of the people transported to the hospital was in serious but stable condition. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy One witness, a friend of the person in the wheelchair, told Global News that he saw a car in the parking lot suddenly start accelerating before it veered off, went over a pillar and landed on his friend. 'I was scared, because all of a sudden, Maggie started screaming,' James Willett said. 'So I rushed up and I just tried to see what I could do, which I can't help that much, so I got on the phone right away to 911.' Story continues below advertisement Police are investigating the cause of the collision and say it does not appear to have been caused by a medical emergency.
CTV News
09-07-2025
- CTV News
Pedestrian in wheelchair struck by Lexus in North Vancouver, RCMP investigating
Emergency crews respond to a single-vehicle crash involving a black Lexus in North Vancouver, B.C., on July 9, 2025. Authorities are investigating a single-vehicle crash in North Vancouver, B.C., that left a pedestrian seriously injured Wednesday afternoon. North Vancouver RCMP confirmed a black Lexus struck someone in a wheelchair near the London Drugs at Lonsdale Avenue and 20th Street. Cpl. Mansoor Sahak said the victim's injuries were described to him as 'serious but not life-threatening.' The driver of the Lexus sustained minor injuries as well, authorities said. Sahak said it was too early to speculate on a possible cause of the crash, or whether the RCMP's Integrated Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Service would be deployed. 'The investigation's unfolding,' Sahak told CTV News from the scene. 'We're still taking statements.' Both the driver and pedestrian have been taken to hospital, authorities said.
