Kelowna RCMP arrest 47 suspected shoplifters in one week

Kelowna RCMP cracked down on shoplifting last week in an effort dubbed “Project Barcode”. Police worked with loss prevention officers at businesses in order to target repeat shoplifters and deter other thieves, according to a press release from Kelowna RCMP. Officers arrested 47 people, mainly for shoplifting, recovered thousands of dollars in merchandise, executed outstanding warrants and towed vehicles between Dec. 2 and Dec. 7. Shoplifting is one of the Central Okanagan’s most common crimes and is one of the drivers for the Kelowna Crime Severity Index, RCMP said. “We strategically wanted to align this project with the busy shopping season to remind these individuals they are not immune from detection even during peak times and that they will get caught. Our ultimate goal is not only to catch shoplifters, we want employees to feel safe at work and supported by the police,” Kelowna RCMP Sgt. Scott Powrie said in the release. Of the arrests made last week, 12 people had outstanding warrants for previous crimes and they remained in custody to appear in court. There were seven suspects with little to no criminal history whose shoplifting hauls were lower in value. They were referred to restorative justice so they could steer clear of criminal charges. During the crackdown officers seized an imitation firearm that was found on a suspect and impounded two vehicles for driving offences. “There is a substantial amount of documentation and evidence collection still required, however we anticipate a high number of these reports will be submitted for charge assessment at a later date,” Powrie said. “For the time being, most suspects have been released on undertakings which include a court date and conditions not to attend the business from which they are alleged to have stolen from.” To contact a reporter for this story, email Jesse Tomas mailto:jtomas@infonews.ca  or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor mailto:news@infonews.ca . You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom mailto:tips@infonews.ca  and be entered to win a monthly prize draw. Find our Journalism Ethics policy here. https://infotel.ca/newsitem/code-of-ethics/it106782 We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here https://infotel.ca/newsletter .