Niagara Regional Police are stepping up efforts to curb retail thefts with an initiative known as 3P, a partnership between officers and store loss prevention teams that targets shoplifters after they pass the point of purchase.
As holiday shopping ramps up, C.O.R.E. officers have been patrolling retail areas across St. Catharines to catch suspects in the act.
In the past month, the effort has led to 20 arrests, 11 criminal charges, 3 provincial offence notices, and the recovery of more than $2,700 in stolen goods.
On November 6, six people were arrested, two of whom had stolen over $1,400 worth of merchandise and were wanted by other police services for 17 additional charges.
(Written by: Brandon Warby)