A shoplifter Mounties allege stole $100,000 worth of merchandise from department stores across the Lower Mainland is behind bars thanks to the Burnaby RCMP’s Strike Force.
Dubbed a “break out” thief by Burnaby RMCP, the suspect would remain inside the store after closing and once everyone was gone he would allegedly break out with a considerable amount of stolen merchandise, according to Burnaby RCMP’s monthly report for May and June.
The suspect had been allegedly robbing Bay and Sears department stores throughout the Lower Mainland since January, getting away with $100,000 worth of merchandise, the report added.
On April 25, Burnaby Mounties received a call from security at Lougheed mall that a suspicious man was lurking inside the Bay. Security told police they believed it was the same man who had robbed other Lower Mainland stores and so, according to the report, Burnaby Strike Force was sent to the scene.
When officers arrived, they conducted surveillance of the store with the help of mall security and observed the suspect remain in the Bay after closing. He was then seen on camera allegedly stealing two suitcases and filling them up with colognes and perfumes from the fragrance section, the report detailed.
According to police, the suspect proceeded to walk out of the Bay with the two suitcases filled with $18,000 worth of colognes and perfumes. Officers arrested him on site.
The following day, a search warrant was executed on the suspect’s home. According to the report, numerous items of clothing and perfume boxes were seized, believed to be stolen items from previous thefts across the Lower Mainland.
The suspect was charged with multiple counts of break-and-enter and is now awaiting trial.
