Three people have been arrested in connection to a string of violent shoplifting incidents in downtown Vancouver.
The incidents occurred on Robson and Davie streets over the course of the day on Tuesday.
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The first incident took place inside a grocery store on Davie Street at around 8 am.
Vancouver police say a 23-year-old clerk was assaulted after a man entered the store, pushed the clerk aside, and went behind the counter to steal a carton of cigarettes. Other staff members intervened and called 911, holding the man down until police arrived.
VPD arrested a 34-year-old suspect for robbery and he was taken to jail shortly thereafter.
Later that day, around 5 pm, a man entered a retailer on Robson Street and stole $326 in clothing. He proceeded to walk to a neighbouring store with the stolen goods in an attempt to get the security tags removed. He then entered a third store and stole $144 worth of lipstick.
Security attempted to intervene, but the man pulled out a folding knife and walked away. Witnesses were able to keep an eye on the 33-year-old suspect after calling 911, and he was arrested for robbery.
The last incident took place around 7 pm on Davie Street. A 22-year-old man entered a vape store with a box cutter and was able to get away with stolen merchandise. The victim called 911, and VPD officers were able to track down and arrest the suspect at a nearby community centre.
“Each of these arrests occurred because someone called 911 immediately and provided real-time information that helped VPD officers locate and arrest the suspects,” VPD Sergeant Steve Addison said in a statement, adding that none of the three incidents appear linked.
“Commercial robberies are a continuing concern in the downtown core, and in other neighbourhoods throughout the city.”
Outside of shoplifting, property crime and violent stranger attacks have been a major concern in the downtown core in recent weeks.
The VPD says that between January 7 and January 10, officers arrested 22 people and recovered $2,500 in merchandise in connection to shoplifting incidents along the Cambie corridor. Between January 27 and January 30, 15 shoplifters were arrested in the Renfrew-Collingwood area.
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