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Shoplifting calls up by 25% in 2024: Richmond RCMP

Thirteen 'boost & bust' operations resulted in more than $57K in stolen merchandise.
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Richmond RCMP say they recovered $57,300 in stolen merchandise during 13 targeted operations.

Richmond RCMP responded to 1,704 reports of shoplifting in 2024, a 25-per-cent increase from the previous year.

This led to 527 arrests and 266 charges eventually being laid, a 63-per-cent increase from 2023.

In addition to responding to shoplifting complaints, RCMP conducted 13 targeted campaigns – what they call “Boost & Bust” operations – six of them by frontline officers and seven by the RCMP’s property crime unit.

These resulted in the recovery of $57,300 in stolen merchandise, typically clothing, electronics and food.

These "Boost & Bust" campaigns led to 118 arrests and 72 criminal charges. Some youth caught shoplifting were directed to the Youth Intervention Program.

“These numbers highlight the growing challenge of retail theft and Richmond RCMP’s strengthened efforts to hold offenders accountable,” RCMP said in a press release.

The property crime unit has established partnerships with loss prevention officers and security managers across Richmond’s retail sector, facilitating intelligence sharing about repeat offenders and emerging crime patterns.

“Our multi-faceted approach combines targeted enforcement with prevention and education,” said Staff Sgt. Gene Hsieh, Major Crime Commander. 

“By working closely with loss prevention officers and analyzing shared data, we’ve optimized our operations to ensure a consistent police presence during peak offending periods. The significant number of arrests and recovered merchandise demonstrates the effectiveness of this collaborative strategy.”

Richmond RCMP urged businesses and residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to police promptly, as comprehensive data collection is a crucial part of their targeted enforcement strategy.


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